Couples and Family Therapy
A question which gets raised often from GPs is where can they refer individuals, couples or families needing therapy where there isn’t necessarily a diagnosable mental disorder ie. relationship issues.

This month we will be holding a small group CPD event ‘Families in General Practice’ which will look at the available referral pathways for GPs for family and or couples therapy including utilising MBS items available to GPs. The event will be facilitated by Dr Jenny Berg, Child and Family Psychiatrist; Ms Cynthia Gregory-Roberts, Mental Health Social Worker and Family Therapist; and Dr Margo Hoekstra, GP with FPS-ST.

There are three MBS items available to all GPs allowing them to conduct family therapy sessions without having to complete specific training. The items are time based and vary according to the number of individuals taking part in the training.

Referral to external providers and organisations is also possible and these pathways will be further explored in the May event.

Outreach Clinician for people escaping homelessness
New sole clinician, Chris Ishizuka, at Camperdown CMHC covering a wide area in the Redfern, Camperdown, and Marrickville LGAs.

Chris is funded to work with people who:

• are moving into housing from a position of primary, secondary, or tertiary homelessness
• have a historical pattern of losing accommodation
• are over 18 years old
• have either been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder or are abusing substances.

Chris assists people adjust to their new environment through:

• Clinical case management of their mental health
• Psychosocial rehabilitation to home
• Psychosocial rehabilitation to community
• Appropriate, assertive referrals to relevant Health, Mental Health and Drug & Alcohol services
• Solution-focussed, here-and-now counselling and referral to longer term services for the effects of historical or entrenched trauma
• Advocacy and empowerment in interactions with real estate agents, landlords, neighbours, Centrelink, Housing NSW, housing associations.

New Tenancy Laws in NSW fact sheets and advice
The Mental Health Coordinating Council (MHCC) has recently announced the changes to the law governing the relationship between landlords and tenants in New South Wales. The new law, the Residential Tenancies Act 2010, changes some of the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords.

The Tenants’ Union of NSW has a series of free user-friendly fact sheets setting out tenant’s rights and re- sponsibilities under the law. The factsheets provide:
up to date information on rent increases;

• rent arrears;
• repairs;
• the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal;
• ending a tenancy;
• tenancy databases;
• share housing and more.

Find out more at www.tenants.org.au/publish/factsheets.

All tenants in New South Wales can get free advice about this law from a local Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service. Services cover all of New South Wales and, within the CSGPN catchment area, are located in Campsie, Marrickville and Redfern. There are also four Aboriginal services covering Sydney, western, southern and northern New South Wales.

For details of your local service see: www.tenants.org.au/publish/contact-us.