The RFDS in QLD
Central West Mental Health and Wellbeing Service
Since 2004, our Longreach Base has provided mental health support to people in the town and surrounding communities. The service operates on a hub-and-spoke basis with the Longreach office being the primary base for clinicians offering services in surrounding communities. The multi-disciplinary team consists of clinicians with qualifications in psychology, social work, mental health nursing and occupational therapy. The Longreach Base provides three specific services — psychological therapies, low intensity counselling services and mental health and wellbeing promotion.
Psychological Therapies
Funded by the Western Queensland Primary Health Network
The psychological therapies program works with clients who are experiencing moderate-to-severe levels of psychological distress. Our accredited mental health clinicians provide a range of individual, family and group interventions. Comprehensive assessment and screening tools assist our clinicians to plan, implement and monitor appropriate evidence-based interventions. The service sees both youth and adults for counselling. Access to this particular program requires a referral by a general practitioner, psychiatrist or paediatrician and up to six sessions of psychological therapy are provided. Additional sessions may be allocated following review.
Low Intensity Counselling Service
Funded by the Western Queensland Primary Health Network
This early intervention, low intensity, counselling program aims to reduce stress, provide psychological education and prevent relapse for clients with mild levels of mental health concerns, including stress, anxiety, grief and mood disturbance. This program sees young people aged 12 years and over and adults for counselling for a maximum of six sessions. Access to this service is through self-referral from the client. Referrals are also accepted from other health professionals and non-government organisations as well as from family members, friends and carers, if consent has been obtained from the client.
Child and Parenting Support
Funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services
Our Child and Parenting Support Service allows children, parents or carers access to a specialised mental health clinicians. Along with individual sessions, we provide psycho-educational sessions to teachers and other school staff around issues that impact children's learning such as anxiety and trauma. The program also responds to emergent issues such as stress, self-harm, grief and loss.
The program services the shires of:
Longreach
Winton
Barcaldine
Blackall
Tambo
Boulia
Diamantina
Engagement is structured around individual circumstances and availability and can be delivered outside business hours and on weekends. Services are offered at RFDS base, clinics, in-home, group settings, or at other preferred locations in the community.
For further information please phone (07) 4652 5800 or email rfds_lng@rfdsqld.com.au.
