Candlelit vigil – Jo Tenner, Yarra Ranges Young Citizen of the Year Fiona Bilton and GetUp’s Madeline Lawrence and Marcus Deuchar joined about 40 others for the mental health candlelight vigil in Belg

By Casey Neill
MENTAL Health funding is heating up as an election issue in the hills as the race to the polls nears the finish line.
Selby’s GetUp! group last Tuesday held a candlelit vigil in Belgrave Town Park to draw attention to the need for mental health care reform.
More than 40 people attended the service, which was one of more than 50 across Australia.
“I hope the campaign affects politicians’ decision making and we see a change in mental health funding,” GetUp! member Madeline Lawrence said.
Yarra Ranges Young Citizen of the Year Fiona Bilton spoke about her personal experience with mental illness and her work mentoring other young people in need.
The Kallista based Vokallista acappella community choir closed the service with a group song.
“Everybody joined in. It was a lovely way to finish things off,” Ms Lawrence said.
Local mental health experts last week called on Federal candidates to rule out cuts to mental health spending.
The Labor Government recently announced it would axe more than 1100 national social workers from the Better Access program, which allows allows people to access Medicare funded mental health social worker assistance, from next April. Tecoma social worker Roxahn Thomas said the cuts would increase waiting lists for local mental health treatment and see many people unable to get back on track.
La Trobe MP Jason Wood last week said a Coalition Government would continue to fund social workers and occupational therapists under the program.
“I have been contacted by many local providers who have grave concerns about the future of these vital services under a Labor Government,” Mr Wood said. The Mail attempted to contact La Trobe ALP candidate Laura Smyth but did not receive a response.