Funding boost for Toowoomba health groups

Health care groups running programs for indigenous children, suicide prevention and active lifestyles across Toowoomba and the Darling Downs have enjoyed a big kick start to the new year, sharing in $720,000 in State Government grants over the next four years.

Health Minister Stephen Robertson said the funds would be shared by community groups, who work in partnership with Queensland Health, delivering primary health care services to residents across the Toowoomba and Darling Downs regions.

The funds are part of Queensland Health’s Connecting Healthcare in Communities (CHIC) program, jointly funded by a State and Commonwealth initiative.

“This about Government partnering other organisations to build healthier communities,” Mr Robertson said.

“The long-term goal of CHIC is to improve the quality of life by reducing disease risk factors, having access to better clinical care, reducing avoidable hospital admissions and inappropriate referrals to outpatient services.

“Locally, CHIC is managed by a partnership council made up of key local stakeholders who meet regularly and discuss ways of pooling resources to come up with innovative ways of delivering primary health care.”

The funding total $720,000 is made up of $180,000 per year, most of which has been allocated for 2007–08.

Opportunities still exist for other groups to access funds in the next three years.

To find out more about future grants that may be available, community groups can contact Connecting Healthcare in Communities Partnership Council Chair on 4616 6440.

The funding committed so far has been allocated to:

Toowoomba Leg Club - $91,674 (over three years). Run by OzCare, this will enable expert leg wound care in a community owned, social environment.

Healthy Piccaninny Program - $55,015 (over four years). The Carbal Medical Centre will provide an early intervention, prevention and harm minimisation approach to strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family relationships.

Southern Downs Suicide Prevention Program - $30,000. RHealth will support this project which aims to reduce the number of people in the Southern Downs who are at risk of suicide and self harm by increasing the capacities of communities to deal with local mental health issues.

Mental Health Respite Skilling Program - $58,572 (over four years). Blue Care is running this project to support the training of mental health support workers which is aimed at reducing the number of avoidable hospital admissions for mental health needs.

Healthy Kulila Kids - $2,500. Carbal will demonstrate healthy lifestyle choices and skills to the children at Kulila Indigenous kindergarten and their caregivers.

Learning for Life – $11,500. Carbal Medical Centre will deliver education to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children about healthy lifestyle choices and skills.

Expansion of mapping survey of community services across Toowoomba and Darling Downs - $16,440. GP Connections will expand the mapping of community services from Toowoomba to include the flow of patients from across the Darling Downs to identify gaps in access to services.

Connecting an Active Community - $135,000 (over two years). The Roma Therapy Centre will coordinate and implement an integrated multidisciplinary approach that provides exercise, dietetics, and physiotherapy to target groups across the region.

16 January, 2008

MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185