A mental health advocacy group has warned that more people could “fall through the cracks” if the state government fails to respond to the “unmet need” for services on the Limestone Coast, following the tragic death of a mother and two children near Port MacDonnell.
Compton woman Helena Wright and her 23-month-old daughter were found in waters off the coast of the South-East town on Monday,with the search for her three-month-old son continuing on Thursday.
The investigation is now being treated as a murder-suicide.
On Wednesday it was revealed that Ms Wright had visited the Mount Gambier police stationthe day before her body was found at Cape Northumberland.
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens asked the public not to make assumptions about the situation.
“She did have contact with us on Sunday,” he confirmed on FIVEAA on Thursday.
“It’s really not helpful when people assume or infer or join the dots without access to all of the information available.”
Data from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists found that only 0.1 psychiatrists are available per 10,000 people in country South Australia.
There is only one resident psychiatrist based at the Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service (MGDHS) which has recently undergone a $24 million upgrade.
Limestone Coast Local Health Network executive director of mental health services, Pauline Beach said recruitment is “well underway” to employ a second psychiatrist in Mount Gambier.
“Another two visiting psychiatrists conduct monthly outpatient clinics in Mount Gambier and Millicent,” she said.
“They are supported by four psychiatry registrars who are also based in the region supporting both inpatient and community services.”
Mental Health Coalition of South Australia executive director, Geoff Harris said the state government’s own Unmet Needs Study identified that more than 19,000 South Australians with “severe mental illness” are not receiving the community-based mental health support they need.
“The government has known for three years it will take only $125m per year to fill this gap identified in their own unmet needs report across the state,” Mr Harris said.
“Addressing this gap will be of great benefit in rural and regional South Australia.”
Mr Harris added that access to the right mental health care has the ability to “save lives”.
“Too many South Australians are losing their lives,” he said.
“Without access to timely, ongoing support, people are more likely to fall through the cracks and into crisis.”
Health minister, Blair Boyer said the Malinauskas government remains “committed to delivering mental health services closer to home”, investing $2.5 billion into mental health in the past four years.
“We’ve delivered six additional mental health beds now open at Mount Gambier Hospital, doubling the hospital’s previous capacity,” Mr Boyer said.
“We have boosted NGO-led mental health and psychosocial services with a 41 per cent increase in funding compared to a 19 per cent cut under the previous Liberal Government.
“This includes additional psychosocial services in regional areas and the Limestone Coast.”