Access to Mental Health Help

[Terry]

I am positive about everything but the mental health system. I am positive that the mental health system is positively dreadful 🙂

you can survive this system quite easily but it is a lousy system - i had two decades exposure to them before i gave up on them, and they caused me a lot of trouble and (unfortunately), trauma.  however, i have sorted through the rubble and now have the tools i need for a good life, and i'm going to share that information with others.

[Billamba]

Im trying to access financial support through centerlink which I have never done before. What a process. I am really struggling financially and about to commence study and honestly its a spanish inquizition.

I just need Youth Allowance but I am so overwhelmed with what I need to provide etc. I dont know how people do it - Im exhausted and really havent gotten anywhere. So far Ive visited two branches (first wasnt trained to deal with students or families??), spoken to the call centre and done stuff online. I wish the system was set up to do it in the branches with real people rather than online, I need help but it seems its all up to the individual to work it out themselves. 

[Former-Member]

Oh thats a pain @Billamba ! i'm sorry that its being so difficult! Keep persevering though. Send in what you have, or take it in (last time i was studying online, i printed out copies of my enrollment with units that i had enrolled in on it to take in) because i couldnt find anything really 'official'. and that was enough. Its a pain in the neck!! I hope you get it all sorted out soon!

I'm having a crap time with centrelink at the moment because my ex isnt paying child support, but i recieve less fam tax benefit and parentingpayment because of how much hes supposed to pay so now trying to exist withuot it until i get back to work, but have a car loan i cant pay and might lose the car before then (a car that was bough by ex while we were married). but so long as we have food and somewhere to stay (please let my fuel last until we get into new house next week as well as still have the darn thing!!) and food we'll be ok! eeek so looking forward to gettng back to work so i dont have to rely on my ex.

LJ

[CherryBomb]

Hi @Billamba

Navigating your way through Centrelink stuff can be so confusing. I hope it all gets sorted. 

I'm not sure if this will be of much help but @brockovich86 wrote this post about Centrelink, and organising paperwork, if you're unable to work. I know that NDIS is a bit different to youth allowance, but I thought it might be helpful just in case you need to organise paperwork regarding your MI.

I also wonder if there's a student service at uni/TAFE that might be able to help you out?

CB

[Billamba]

Gosh that sounds full on @Former-Member. I wish there was more that could be done to make ex's more accountable for financially (if nothing else) assisting with the upbringing of their children. Its such a shame that his actions will be affecting you and your children so greatly yet nothing really gets done. Its excting that you will be going back to work shortly so you can be free of all that rubbish. I really hope you wont lose the car.  

Ive taken a break from it - I was just getting too overwhelmed with it. I dont really understand it and am struggling with the idea of it as it is - Ive worked since I was 14 and feel that other people would be more deserving of centerlink than myself but until I know more about uni I really cant take a fulltime position. 

Ive just gotten off the phone from my mother who has had lunch with my aunty, cousin and grandfather and Im honestly struggling to understand family dynamics. My cousin is the same age as well and is a qualified paramedic (1 year out) and she honestly just thinks she is gods gift to the world which is an attitude her mother (my aunty) seems to very much encourage. Apparently I was discussed quite a bit over lunch and how doing an Early Childhood degree and training to be a teacher is so basic. I havent yet been given acceptance due to not doing year 11 and 12 (- such severe bullying issues I finished year 10 via distance education) and they were saying how anyone can get acceptance into a teaching degree and obviously I havent got the intelligence or skills to be accepted and that teaching is just listening to kids count and read. 

I just find it so offensive. Ive been a private governess and nanny for the last 5 years and have assisted with the education of many children from birth - 12 years of age. I have been a home supervisor for every schooling grade from preschool - year 5 and have glowing references from all the teachers, students and families I have worked with. Im good at it and Im no dummy - I just wish others didnt feel the need to attack others to make themselves feel better. 

[Billamba]

Hi @CherryBomb,

At the moment I am able to work - its just hard to get fulltime work when you are hoping to begin studying at the end of Feb. No one really wants to train someone only to have them leave shortly after. I have picked up some nannying work but not enough to financially assist me. Maybes its because Im too honest - I just dont have the heart to get someone to employ me when I know if Im accepted into uni I will be unable to work the same as I signed up for in the beginning. 

It has crossed my mind to pursue assistance to do with my MH but not having anything properly set up down here makes it very hard. I dont know if I should contact the mental health nurse I worked with and see what her stance on it is or just to leave it. Its in the too hard category really. 

Im hoping once I get to uni I will be able to access student services to assist with centerlink type things in furture. Im totally confused on what I need to do should I not be accepted into uni. I guess then I just find fulltime work and cancel it. Gosh who knows.  

Thank you for your ideas and the link to the post - I shall read it and see what I can make of it.

@Former-Member am I correct in thinking you are a teacher? Have I read that on here before? If so please dont think what I wrote about my aunt and cousin are a view I share. To me without teachers no one can have a career. Education is the backbone to everything. 

[CherryBomb]

@Billamba

Sorry to hear about how unsupportive your family is. Teaching is a great profession, and not easy at all. It helps keep society ticking. Without teachers, where would many of us be today? I agree with you education is the backbone to everything. Be proud of you. 

I think people can caught up in what makes a 'good' profession. At the end of the day, we all have our own callings. It doesn't mean that one calling is more valuable than others. Unfortunately, the way things are set often set up can make us feel this way.  But I think we all offer something valuable by our chosen career paths. 

If you don't get into uni, remeber that there's always other options. Perhaps a TAFE course to help as a gateway into uni. I know of a few friends who have not gotten into the course they wanted, so they did TAFE first, and then got into the course they were wanting, while also knocking off some time of the course too. 

Anyway, stay proud @Billamba, knowing what you're passion is an exciting and beautiful thing. 

[Sakurapuss]

@NikNik @Billamba I have used the mental health care plan for a number of years now. I get 10 sessions per calendar year but I always seem to run out around October and have to wait till Jan to get another one. As for partners in recovery program, I only found out about this after my last stint in mhu. They have been fabulous! They sent me for a Med review and paid for 3 sessions with a new psychiatrist. @Billamba I'm from tassie so I can hopefully lend you a helping hand. Hobart has more services to choose from but if you're moving to launnie (Launceston) for uni then I suggest you get a referral from the campus gp. Utas hobart campus has one too and a good student services section who are nice enough. While a change is disruptive and scary sometimes it gives you the freedom to start and try different things. I hope it all goes well.

[PeppiPatty]

dear @Sakurapuss

what you write about mental health care plan; i go to a free service in Western Australia called the street doctors; they are free once you show them your pension card and medicare card


one of the doctors gave me a health care plan too.

[Former-Member]

Hi @Billamba

yes, im a teacher 😄 Oh dear about your family! Try not to 'listen' in to those opionions too much... People really have no idea what teaching children is really like until they get experience the work load, stress and worries! But it is a great job (98% of the time!)

A funny quote I saw on face book but cant seem to copy the pictureof it...

went like this: "Teaching seems to requre the sort of skills it would require to pilot a bus full of chickens, with no brakes, backwards down a rocky mountain road in the Andes while providing an entertaining and colourful commentary on the scenery" lol

I worked throughout my uni course but its not easy because of the times that you need to do your placements and pracs, so its probably wise to get centrelink sorted out. I'm just wondering if you have been to headspace they might be able to help you with the paperwork even going with you to centrelink? i've found my care worker's influence to make such a difference at those places. if someone goes with you with an official title they go ooh we'd better actually do something!?!

Good luck!!

LJ