Orange mental health services are in crisis according to an Orange woman has a relative who slipped through the gaps into drug use and homelessness - he's currently in jail.
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Melanie Townsend's relative has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Having witnessed the services available she said there needed to be more action in improving communication between services, overcoming complex bureaucracy, staffing, as well as monitoring vulnerable people, and ensuring they get the medication they require.
Her concerns align with findings by NSW Mental Health Commissioner Catherine Lourey who visited Orange as part of a consultation for the review of Living Well: A Strategic Plan for Mental Health in NSW 2014-2024, a plan for mental health reform in NSW.
There's no housing, there's no follow up treatment or medication unless they walk into Likemind or Headspace, they are not getting help.
- Melanie Townsend
An updated plan is to be presented to the state government at the end of the year and Ms Lourey said she hoped for improved integration between care providers in Orange and she wanted a plan to keep and retain skilled health workers in the area.
Ms Townsend could not give her account to Ms Lourey but she wanted to see urgent action and described the current situation as contradictory and a waste of resources.
"Likemind, headspace, they don't work together, they should," Mrs Townsend said.
She was also concerned the hospital was working separately, there was a lack of communication between services in Orange and Sydney, and with the jails.
They are not going to go to Likemind, Likemind need to go to them.
- Melanie Townsend
She said there was also a lack of beds available for vulnerable people upon release from custody or mental health facilities.
"There's no housing, there's no follow up treatment or medication unless they walk into LikeMind or headspace, they are not getting help," she said.
"They are not going to go to LikeMind, LikeMind need to go to them."
Ms Townsend said her relative, who had a history of violence, also wouldn't take his medication.
She said he was released from jail to LikeMmind then a mental health facility from which he was granted a month's leave at Christmas but the friend he was signed out to was a drug user.
"He got on the drugs the first night," she said.
"I've been through hell with him, I've been knocked out.
"He was a beautiful kid before this happened, he played football, he was popular."
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