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The NSW Government will fast-track access to essential trauma and recovery services to communities hardest hit by the recent flooding in NSW as part of a $25 million investment.
 
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said this package will provide mental health support to people in flood-affected communities across the State to help them get through the recovery as they begin to rebuild.
 
“Providing immediate mental health and well-being support in recovery centres to people devastated by the floods to help them get back on their feet as soon as possible,” Mr Perrottet said.
 
“This commitment will ensure we put people in touch with the right support so they can get the help they need now and into the future.”
 
Deputy Premier Paul Toole said the investment will have an initial focus on communities across the Northern Rivers, with other areas likely to be included as the full impact of the floods becomes clearer.
 
“The task before us is complex and extensive. People’s mental health will not only be affected by the floods but by the enormity of the clean-up effort and the uncertainty it brings,” Mr Toole said.
 
“To ensure the mental health recovery effort is as coordinated, responsive and targeted as possible, we’ll work with Headspace and Lifeline to manage the response, with local input sourced from the community and local health networks.”
 
NSW Health will support the immediate mental health needs of the Northern NSW community by deploying mental health clinicians from Northern NSW, Mid North Coast and Northern Sydney Local Health Districts.
 
Teams from Hunter New England and Western NSW Local Health Districts are also being prepared to travel to northern NSW to assist.
 
Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said $5 million in grants will be allocated to non-government organisations to deliver local trauma and recovery programs so support is available long after the clean-up has finished.
 
“It is locals who know their community best, and that is why we want them to play an active role in developing initiatives and programs that will help their communities in their road to recovery,” Mrs Taylor said.
 
“We are also funding ten full-time Local Recovery Coordinators to be our eyes and ears on the ground to monitor the local mental health impacts, as well as help services better connect with people most in need.”
 
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said the devastating floods will have a lasting impact on affected communities, and the emergency services personnel who responded.
 
“Please take care of yourselves and look out for each other because the impacts of this devastating flood and the ongoing cleanup efforts will be felt by those affected for weeks, months and in the years ahead,” Ms Cooke said.
 
Key highlights of the Wellbeing Package include:

• $7 million over three years to fund Primary Health Networks to engage both clinical and non-clinical workforce, including staff for the Safe Havens, to boost local access to psychological and clinical support;
• $5 million over three years to establish grants program for NGOs to fund trauma-based programs. Key focus on supporting young people, older residents and Aboriginal communities;
• $5 million for state-wide needs based resourcing and support;
• $3.5 million over three years to appoint Headspace and Lifeline work with affected communities to identify what each community needs;
• $3.5 million over three years to recruit 10 Local Recovery Coordinators to:
  • Coordinate mental health service delivery within their designated LGA, ensuring service providers are working with each other to plug gaps but also avoid duplication;
  • Identify and respond to emerging issues, such as increases in mental health hospital activity, self-harm or suicidal ideation;
  • Work closely with primary health initiatives, community and welfare agencies and mental health services to provide direct care and respond to local community needs and issues on the ground.
• $1 million to set up four pop-up Safe Havens in the areas hardest hit. Safe Havens are a place for people experiencing suicidal thoughts or in distress to seek refuge and support from people with lived experience. The space is welcoming and has a range of activities to help people divert their suicidal thinking. No referral is required to access a Safe Haven.

The NSW Government’s initial $25 million in mental health support will also be complimented by the Commonwealth Government’s mental health support packaged announced earlier this week.
Further mental health and well-being support will be provided to flood-affected communities across NSW as part the recovery process.

If you, or someone you know, is thinking about suicide or experiencing a personal crisis or distress, please seek help immediately by calling 000 or one of these services:

• Lifeline 13 11 14
• Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467
• NSW Mental Health Line 1800 011 511

In the 12 days since the first disaster declarations were made for this devastating flood event, around $1.5 billion of support has been committed to the recovery from the NSW Government in partnership with the Commonwealth.
 
In addition to the financial response, on-the-ground support from NSW emergency services and the Australian Defence Force today reached 8,000 active personnel across the state, who are ensuring supplies reach communities that are still cut off by floodwaters, as well as supporting communities with the huge clean-up operation.
 
The Commonwealth and NSW Governments have also started the process of transitioning people from evacuation centres, hotels and motels, into longer-term accommodation as part of a $285 million Temporary Housing Support Package.
 
Communities impacted by the floods will have access to 16 weeks’ rental support available soon, temporary housing pods, temporary housing in recreation camps in the Northern Rivers, plus a housing brokerage service enabling the Australian Red Cross to work with private rental companies, such as Airbnb and Stayz, to help connect people with rental homes.
 
Premier Dominic Perrottet said with flood waters now receding, the NSW Government is putting every available resource in to supporting the recovery effort.
 
“Our key focus areas right now are clean-up, housing and financial supports. We know there is more to do and this is just the start of the recovery process and we will be with communities every step of the way,” Mr Perrottet said.
 
“We have close to 100 clean-up crews in action across Northern Rivers and the Hawkesbury regions, removing 4,000 tonnes of waste a day. These crews have shifted on average over the past four days, the same amount of waste that was shifted in four weeks post the February/March 2021 floods in Port Macquarie, Kempsey and Nambucca.
 
“We are rolling out our standard recovery supports as quickly as possible, as well as addressing specific needs as they arise. This is why we didn’t wait and set up our housing package ahead of time so we can assist the 2,000 people we are helping with accommodation transition into more medium-term accommodation.
 
“We’ve also announced $25 million in mental health support today, topping up numerous mental health programs to reach more people and support them through what for many has been a deeply traumatic event.”
 
Deputy Premier Paul Toole said Primary Producer grants had been activated faster than ever before, with farmers able to access grants of up to $15,000 immediately, with grants of up to $75,000 available.
 
“Our whole of Government approach is driving this rapid response to ensure affected communities are able to rebuild their lives and livelihoods, faster,” Mr Toole said.
 
“We’ve already had more than 400 applications for our primary producer grants, and I would urge others to apply. We’ve also helped farmers by delivering 1.9 tonnes of fodder.” 
 
Service NSW is taking registrations from those who expect they might need housing and has helped 30,000 people so far with everything from grants to replacing IDs with the support line open until 10pm.
 
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said thousands of emergency services personnel have kick-started the clean-up by making roads accessible, helping with the washout of properties, and removing bulk waste.
 
“SES teams are undertaking damage assessments on households, businesses and industry premises, with close to 15,000 completed so far,” Ms Cooke said.
 
“It’s vital people know what support is available to them and I would urge everyone to visit the nearest recovery centre so then can the help they need.”
 
Resilience NSW currently has nine recovery centres open and continues to open up recovery centres in areas where emergency evacuation orders have been lifted.
 
For more information, please see nsw.gov.au/floods

A dedicated Recovery Centre will open its doors in South Windsor for the first time today, providing face-to-face support for locals affected by the current flood event.
 
Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the Recovery Centre would assist communities transition from response into clean-up and recovery.
 
“A range of NSW Government agencies, community organisations and welfare bodies will work from the Recovery Centre to assist anyone who has been impacted by the record-breaking flooding,” Mr Ayres said.
 
“Whether it be receiving clean-up help, replacing lost documents or requesting short-term accommodation, I encourage everyone across the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley to take advantage of this assistance.”
 
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said the Recovery Centre is open seven days a week and will support individuals, families, farmers and business owners to find the various forms of practical support available.
 
“We will work with local communities and councils to progressively build on the services offered at the Resilience NSW operated Recovery Centres, and their doors will stay open for as long as the community needs,” Ms Cooke said.
 
Member for Hawkesbury Robyn Preston said the flooding experienced in Windsor and the surrounding towns was over one metre higher than the March 2021 flood event.
 
“We have a big recovery effort ahead of us and it’s fantastic to have a mass mobilisation of resources including personnel from the Rural Fire Service, State Emergency Service, Public Works Advisory, Resilience NSW, NSW Police Force and Australian Defence Force to help with the damage assessments and clean-up,” Ms Preston said.
 
Recovery Centres are currently operating at:

• Ballina: Ballina Surf Club, Lighthouse Beach Parade, East Ballina;
• Casino: Casino Community and Cultural Centre, 35 Walker Street, Casino;
• Grafton: Old St George Bank, 32 Prince Street, Grafton;
• Kyogle: Kyogle Memorial Institute, 131 Summerland Way, Kyogle;
• Lismore: V Block, Southern Cross University, Military Road, East Lismore;
• Mullumbimby: 55 Dalley Street, Mullumbimby;
• Murwillumbah: Murwillumbah Civic Centre Auditorium, 10-14 Tumbulgum Road, Murwillumbah; and
• South Windsor: South Windsor Family Centre, 6 Greenhills Way, South Windsor.

 
Resilience NSW will establish a Recovery Centre in Wisemans Ferry shortly.
 
For those wanting to be assisted remotely, Service NSW is operating as an online one-stop shop, with Customer Care specialists also available on the phone via 13 77 88.