CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes’ Family and Carers Mental Health service improves the health and wellbeing of people who are caring for others suffering from mental illness. It provides activities to raise awareness to improve a carer’s knowledge, as well as an understanding of their own self care and general health. A total of 143 new carers were registered in the program in 2019 with a marked increase in referrals from clinicians.

A carer’s quality of life, health and wellbeing can be severely impacted due to their complex caring responsibility through stress, stigma, loss and grief, isolation and financial constraints.

NSW Department of Health funds the vital support for carers as it is widely acknowledged that without carers there would be a greater demand for health services and longer hospital admissions for people with mental health issues. A new partnership has also been formed with Bloomfield Hospital Social Work department to provide carer support for those with a patient in an acute care setting.