One in six women experience depression, anxiety or both in the year after birth, and one in 10 during pregnancy. One in 10 men suffer depression after the birth of their child too.
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During Perinatal Depression and Anxiety Awareness Week 2015, which runs until November 21, the worrying trend is not lost on Albury Wodonga Health.
Albury Wodonga Health mental health and drugs executive director Michael Nuck said the board was committed to funding the Perinatal Emotional Health Program (PEHP) in the North East despite funding concerns nationwide.
PEHP lost its federal government funding in July and Albury Wodonga Health is still negotiating with the Victorian government about ongoing funding of $180,000 a year.
“We will cross-subsidise the service to ensure it continues,” Mr Nuck said.
"The service will continue; it's too important to stop.”
Mr Nuck said Albury Wodonga Health would find $180,000 a year for PEPH which would allow it to continue operating with the same staff and services.
“It’s about $180,000 to prop up the service that we’ve built into the budget and we’re committed to it,” he said.
“The board has show maturity and support to continue the program.”
Mr Nuck said it was unfortunate that other PEPH services statewide faced closure due to the funding uncertainty on the horizon.
He said it was critical families in rural areas could access these sorts of services given there was not the array of services found in metropolitan areas.
“Families and new mums are really impacted by access to these services,” Mr Nuck said.
“We’ve drawn a line in the sand and we’re continuing.”
PEPH first started in the North East at Wangaratta about seven years ago.
“It started on a shoestring and grew out of there to Wodonga and that supports many Albury mums too,” Mr Nuck said.
PEPH provides care to more than 100 women and their families in the North East each year. It has four staff, program managers within Albury-Wodonga Health and psychiatrists based in two hubs.
The initiative, which started in 2009, has increased the early detection and prevention of post and antenatal depression, providing better and easier access to support and counselling.
For help, phone Perinatal Emotional Health Program (02) 6051 7950; Parents and Babies Service (02) 6058 4882; PANDA support line 1300 726 306; 24-hour Maternal and Child Health Line Victoria 132 229; 24-hour Tresillian Parent Help Line 1800 637 357.
