Wagga's Sunflower House has been thrown a financial lifeline as it manages an increase in demand for its mental health services due to COVID-19.
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The NSW government this week announced a $115,000 emergency fund would go to the house to ensure it could keep its doors open through the pandemic.
Sunflower House, which offers mental health workshops and a social outlet for people living with mental health concerns, has been lobbying state and federal government for financial assistance over the next three years until they can become self-sustainable through NDIS payments.
President Mark Horton said the Murrumbidgee Local Health District had been able to assist with keeping the house open, and the state government grant would help them in maintaining their services through the pandemic.
"This money will allow us to provide the mental health staff we need to cope with the current members and all those that are coming in that are new to the house, so it's vital," Mr Horton said.
"It only really helps us for probably the best part of six months unless the federal government come in with their share of it, and we can only hope that'll happen."
Mr Horton said while the house was closed during lockdown, staff were calling and visiting members to check on their welfare, along with providing meals to make sure members were eating well.
He said they had also been able to assist in identifying and assisting people through mental health crises on multiple occasions, potentially saving lives and preventing hospitalisations.
He said he believed the government was beginning to understand the importance of places like Sunflower House in assisting people who have accessed clinical support in maintaining their mental health.
"Without Sunflower House or organisations like Sunflower House where members don't have anywhere to go, a lot of the clinical work is wasted because they go back home to a home of isolation," he said.
He said intervention services were cheaper because they prevented expensive hospital trips.
"Places like Sunflower House really do save the government a lot of money and I think that's why (NSW mental health minister Bronnie Taylor) has seen the need for it ... we're very appreciative."
Mr Horton said in the past six weeks, Sunflower House had been able to re-open with strong hygiene and social distancing protocols to keep members safe.
"We do run a lot of trivia programs, mental health resilience workshops ... it's very safe for people to come back to Sunflower House," he said.
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