Is it wise to leave community health

That's okay, at least you didn't dismiss me like the mental health line did. Personally though I am not liking my chances.

If you cooperate, they treat you like crap.

If you don't, they make your life hell.

I guess good mental health treatment is really only for those who can afford private.

Hearing your frustration with community mental health. @TopDeck It sounded good in theory a long time ago, but a doctor advised me to stay away from them about 15 years ago. So I prioritise my private pdoc in my budget He is not great but at least it is stable and decent. Cost around $50 gap fee every few months... and sometimes he bulkbills, at his discretion ... hmmm.... Hearing you about cherrypicking psychiatrists .... but keep checking out your options.

Sadly I have heard too much about how case managers may not be a good fit.

Take Care of you

Hey @TopDeck ,

Thanks for posting.

I was with area mental health for years. To be honest, it's so hard to get that if you feel able, it's good to stay with them (absolutely my opinion).

People are begging for case managers but can't get them.

I was soooo fortunate to get one, and get one for an extended period of time. I had a case manager, psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, peer worker and psychosocial worker as part of the team. It was really really helpful. It meant I didn't have to go everywhere for an appointment.

I didn't click with my CM in the beginning. It took an external service to contact them and give them a rundown of what I needed before things changed.

What I found most helpful is that they are linked in with so many other services. If I needed extra support, they would liaise with their links and I'd get extra support.

I'm not sugar-coating it. There WERE challenges. There were angry outbursts (on my behalf), there were things they did that I didn't agree to, but in the end, they did a much better job than if I went and sought out all my own therapists and support people.

For me, I couldn't be more thankful for community health.

Once you go 'out' of community health, it's very difficult to get back in, unless you are very very unwell (involuntary or CTOs).

Hey @TopDeck

community mental health is so hard to get into, I basically begged for months and months for them to take me on, but they kept knocking me back.
eventually after an attempt and a hospital admission they randomly picked me up and offered me a psychologist. The psychologist then had me see the psychiatrist on the team she was under. She then referred me to get a case manager cause I needed extra support outside appointments with her. Now I have a case manager, psychologist, psychiatrist, have done a DBT course and a sensory modulation course. And that’s all for free.

I get that it can be frustrating at times when we don’t get along with those that we have been allocated to. I’ve been a bit recently. I had a Terrible run with a registrar recently when my regular psychiatrist was away. I have recently also had to change psychologist and I’m not keen on my new one and I feel like I have no choice but to stay with this one.

im waiting for my DSP to be assessed and they have started encouraging me to apply for NDIS too. That will fill the gaps where comm mh can’t provide support, I see a dietitian and have had to cut back cause of the cost. If you can make comm mh work for you, I’d definitely stay. They are so hard to get into and can provide so much at one door step.

Hi @TopDeck

I'm sorry you're going through this with your case manager. I used to work in community mental health and we often had clients ask to change case managers so I'm wondering if that is an option for you? You have the right to ask that.

Take care

Hanami

I've already tried that. I was told by the team leader they prioritise involuntary clients and she refused to change it. Gave me all these excuses that she has limited case managers and all this other crap.

It is a terrible community health facility. There really needs to be an inquiry into that place.

@TopDeck

If that's the case, you can make a complaint about the service. You can speak with the reception there to ask for how to do this.

take care

Hanami