House of HOPE opens in Seymour

By Bianca Hall

Dec 11, 2022

Offering hope: HOPE Shepparton clinician Toyin Dare (left), HOPE Seymour senior clinician Beth Kruck, lived experience worker Gina Roddy and operational director for mental health Pam Ewert.

Goulburn Valley Health’s Hospital Outreach Post-suicidal Engagement program has opened its doors in Seymour.

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The Victorian Government-funded, GV Health-run program is already established in Shepparton and, after receiving funding to open to the lower Hume region, the Seymour House of HOPE was created.

The House of HOPE offers a client-led therapeutic approach to mental health.

The facility has been running for a few weeks already, with the opening of the Seymour branch held on Friday, December 9.

HOPE aims to reduce suicide rates by offering support for individuals after suicide attempts or suicidal crisis.

The 12-week program is designed to get people back on their feet and looking towards the future with a combination of clinical and psychosocial support.

Clinical support encompasses a range of therapies including acceptance and commitment therapy, interpersonal therapy, narrative therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, motivational therapy and solutions-focused therapy and referrals to long-term clinical support.

House of HOPE Seymour senior clinician Beth Kruck said a client-centric approach meant those who required support were able to direct what they needed from the service, with skilled clinicians being able to adapt their therapy to each client’s needs.

“The concept is that recovery, for you, may look very different to what recovery means to me and we can work to that,” she said.

“I think it’s more about making pathways and making linkages.

“If we need to make referrals on for that, of course we do, because you can’t do everything in 12 weeks.”

The psychosocial support on offer is wide reaching, from support with housing, appointments, court hearings and social connection and support.

Operational director for mental health Pam Ewert said the program was about giving people strategies to move on with their lives in a collaborative way.

“Over the years, mental health has been very clinical,” she said.

“At the moment there is a change towards more therapeutic care.”

Clients are referred to HOPE through Mental Health Triage.

HOPE is not a crisis service. Those acutely mentally unwell, at fluctuating or high risk of suicide or substance affected are not suitable for the program and should be referred to the usual pathway determined by Mental Health Triage.