Episode 38: LGBTIQ+ mental health and reactions to the Royal Commission

We’re continuing our conversations about the findings of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. These findings will reshape mental health services, not just in Victoria but potentially across Australia.  

The focus of this episode is on the recommendations for reform specific to LGBTIQ+ mental health services. 

For the LGBTIQ+ community, there’s “diversity within diversity” – also called intersectionality – for example First Nations queer people, queer people with a disability, and those from culturally diverse backgrounds. To provide genuine help, services need to understand and support this diversity. 

Reform is even more pressing with the COVID-19 pandemic further highlighting the urgent need for a redesign of Victoria’s mental health system that is co-designed by the people who use it.  

We invited Karen Field, CEO Drummond Street Services, which also incorporates Stepfamilies Australia and Queerspace and Carolyn Gillespie, Director of Clinical Services at Thorne Harbour Health (formerly the Victorian AIDS Council) to talk about what reform means for mental health care for the LGBTIQ+ community. 

 Services like Drummond Street Services and Thorne Harbour Health see firsthand that LGBTIQ+ people experience higher rates than the general population of mental health issues like anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation, and that the mental health service system currently in place is not always a system that’s safe for them.  

 In fact, Karen Field says that during the past 12 months there was a trebling of the acute mental health and suicidal ideation presentations at Drummond Street Services compared to the previous financial year – an experience that has been seen across LGBTIQ+ health care providers. 

The co-host for this episode is Karenza Louis-Smith, CEO of ermha365. 

 CONTENT NOTE: If you’ve been affected by anything you’ve heard in this episode you can phone Qlife on 1800184 527 (3pm to midnight 7 days) or Lifeline on 13 11 14. 

 For more info on LGBTIQ+ services:  

 Queerspace - supports focused on relationships, families, parenting and young people

Thorne Harbour Health - a community-controlled organisation, governed by its members, and working for sex, sexuality and gender diverse communities.

Rainbow Door - a free service for the LGBTIQA+ community, you do not need a referral to use this service. 

 ermha365 provides a range of mental health services designed to help people experiencing mental health challenges to thrive in the community.