PHOTO: GUY WILLIAMSTwo Queenstown residents with recent experience of mental health trauma say the community must overcome the stigma of talking about the subject and barriers to treatment need to be removed. Mrs Dow said mental health services needed to be simple and well laid-out. Instead ofneeding to be proactive toget support, people should be ableto expect mental health services to be ‘‘wrapped around them’’. Following the speeches, the audience were asked to brainstorm, in groups, a prioritised list of ideas for how they wanted to see mental health services reshaped in the region. Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellorDepression healthline: 0800 611 116Lifeline Aotearoa: 0800 543 354Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)Samaritans: 0800 726 666Alcohol Drug Helpline: 0800 787 797General mental health inquiries: 0800 44 33 66The Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757

Source: Otago Daily Times November 05, 2020 18:56 UTC