People with mental health issues are increasingly turning to emergency departments for help. $ 0 / (min cost $ 0 ) Login or signup to continue reading That was made clear this week in a NSW government mental health gap analysis, released by minister Rose Jackson. Coinciding with this, the Newcastle Herald obtained data that showed the extent of this problem in our region.
The statistics aren't pretty. They reveal that more than 10,000 people are being turned away from emergency departments annually for mental health issues in Hunter New England and Central Coast. Newcastle mental health advocate Craig Hamilton said the figures were "staggering", especially "when you think of the people who don't turn up to get help because they feel stigmatised".
Mr Hamilton, a former ABC radio sports presenter , was among the first people to speak out about mental health in 2004, with the publication of his book, Broken Open . Twenty years later, he is still advocating for mental health awareness and services. He's also talking about suicide, asserting that it must no longer be a taboo issue.
The Newcastle Herald has been reporting extensively on the mental health and suicide issue, reflecting a growing need for people to get the help they require. We're campaigning for the NSW government's Safe Haven program to expand. Newcastle's Safe Haven is open only three days a week for five hours a day.
The Herald reported in March on the suicide of Stockton's Kahi Simon at age 20. His family and the.
