Carer Advisory Service
For information, referral, advocacy, problem solving, developing options,
counselling appointments and workshops.
1800 242 636*
Commonwealth Respite & Carelink Centre
For information on community aged care and disability services in your
area and all respite enquiries.
1800 052 222*
For emergency respite after hours call: 1800 059 059*
Carers ACT Belconnen Office
Ground Floor
Churches Centre
54 Benjamin Way
Belconnen ACT 2617
Ph: (02) 6296 9900
Fax: (02) 6296 9999
Carers ACT Torrens Office
1 Torrens Place
Torrens ACT 2607
The Cottage
Dementia Respite - Low Care
117 Denison Street
Deakin ACT 2600
Ph: (02) 6285 2082
Fax: (02) 6282 5784
Fraser House
Disability Respite for Mature Carers
30a Kerrigan Street
Fraser ACT 2615
Ph: (02) 6259 9555
Fax: (02) 6259 9333
If you are interested in Membership please Click here
*An Australian Government Initiative. Free local call. Mobile phones charged at mobile rates.
Services for carers of a person with Mental illness
Mental Health Carers Respite Program
Caring for someone with a mental illness can be emotionally draining. Taking ‘time out’ can reduce stress and enable you to recharge your batteries.
Our Mental Health Respite Coordinator can help develop respite options that are tailored to meet the individual needs of your family. The Coordinator can also provide information about services in the community which can provide support in a crisis situation.
Call our Mental Health Respite Coordinator to discuss what respite needs you may have now or in the future, on 6296 9900 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, and Saturday's 9am - 12noon.
This program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Families Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
Keeping Families Connected: building strategies for caring for someone with a mental illness
Keeping Families Connected (KFC) is a course that enhances the existing skills and knowledge of family members and friends, enabling them to develop a better understanding of mental illness and to communicate with the person they are caring for in a positive and proactive way. It also provides practical advice on how to manage the stresses associated with your caring role.
KFC is held in our training room at the Carers ACT Belconnen offi ce. The course runs three times a year, on Wednesday nights between 6:45pm and 9:30pm. Our facilitators are experienced counsellors who can help you with new strategies to cope with mental illness and how it affects your family.
Being a Carer can make it difficult to stay in touch with your friends and family. One of the main benefi ts of the Keeping Families Connected Program is that it enables you to build relationships and to interact with other Carers in similar situations to yours. Some of the things you can expect to learn at KFC:
• Stress and its effects – relaxation techniques
• Exploring mental illness
• Exploring anxiety and depression
• Drug and alcohol use
• Accessing community support and resources
• How to work with mental health professionals
For more information about the course, call Carers ACT on 6296 9900, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, and Saturday's 9am - 12noon.
New Mental Health Carer Representation and Research Program
Are you already part of a group or on a committee as a Carer Representative?
Would you like more support in your role as a Carer Representative?
Or would you like to become a Carer Representative in the future? Are
you interested in providing input to the development of Mental Health
Carer policy or future research activities?
It is an exciting time for Carers ACT, with ACT Mental Health recognising
the need for a true Carer perspective to be active in the development
and improvement of Mental Health policy and service delivery. Carer
representatives can, and should, play a vital role in representation
and research conducted by Mental Health ACT, giving opportunity for
valuable input and evaluation.
Funding has been received by Carers ACT to enable the development of
a new Mental Health Carer Representation and Research Program. The aim
of this new program is to establish and implement Mental Health Carer
Representation by directly engaging with Carers to identify key issues
of concern and look at collaborative solutions. The purpose is to encourage
and assist with suitable training for Carers to represent themselves
and others on various government committees, so as to lend valued support
in developing agreed policy.
For more information, call Carers ACT on 6296 9900, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, and Saturday's 9am - 12noon.
View the latest Carers in Mind eBulletin here
