The NSW Mental Health Commission has visited Endeavour Clubhouse as it consults around the state to help inform advice to government.
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Endeavour Mental Health Recovery Clubhouse staff and members chatted with NSW Mental Health Commissioner Catherine Lourey on Tuesday, July 23 as part of a mid-term review of Living Well.
The strategic plan sets out directions for reform of the mental health system in NSW.
Ms Lourey said the commission came to Port Macquarie because it was interested in where the people here think NSW should focus its mental health reform.
"We are half way through a 10-year strategy to reform mental health in NSW, so we've been through five years, and we really want to understand what the community thinks the next five years should focus on," she said.
The commission has visited about 40 towns and spoken to hundreds of people as part of the consultation.
The NSW Mental Health Commission will provide advice to Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor on what it thinks the key focus areas should be for the next five years.
"One the reasons we wanted to visit around NSW is because we really understand that a solution for Newcastle or Sydney or Wollongong is not a solution for Port Macquarie or Dubbo or Leeton," Ms Lourey said.
She said it was important for the commission to have in its work the voice of people with lived experience, their families, carers, service providers and the general community.
"We are really interested to see what has been working well in communities and here today at Endeavour Clubhouse you can really see what's working well," Ms Lourey said.
"You can really see how the community has come together, how the members have been leading their own recovery with the support of the team, but moreover, the community itself through fundraising has really come in behind it as well.
"I've been so impressed that people here not only have valued the mental health support but they have valued the support from each other."
Endeavour Mental Health Recovery Clubhouse CEO Rob Moorehead said he was chuffed at the visit.
"It's really exciting and just shows they are out there listening to people delivering mental health recovery and getting our input," Mr Moorehead said.
Mr Moorehead spoke about the need for support for community-based mental health facilities.
Ms Lourey praised Endeavour Mental Health Recovery Clubhouse.
"The clubhouse is one of those services that makes such a huge impact upon the lives of people, and I think that just makes it one of those very special services, because they are not out there with large neon signs, they are just helping people lead their own day-to-day lives," she said.
"It has been a real privilege to come here and meet with everyone."
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