Eight different medications.

Eight times the system failed.

Each time the space between hope and hopelessness constricts.

And yet this is the reality for too many of the most critically unwell in our mental health system.

"Your body can't withstand it ... your soul can't withstand it," says Leah Wiseman, redesign transition manager for mental health at Albury-Wodonga Health (AWH).

Ms Wiseman was speaking at a roundtable meeting of about 25 representatives from the Border's diverse mental health sector at Albury on Tuesday.

The cross-section included carers, clinicians, crisis support volunteers, those with a lived experience of mental ill-health and suicide, Aboriginal health representatives, AWH board members and service providers, business and the rural sector.

They were there to meet Australians For Mental Health's new campaign manager Emma Greeney, who is charged with the task of leading a movement for positive change in this country's mental health landscape.

They spoke and she listened.

Ms Greeney heard first-hand of the frustration and heartbreak of parents and carers; their exhaustion at trying to navigate the system safely and effectively, the road-blocks to getting help for their loved ones in crisis and their anguish when that life is lost despite prolonged and valiant efforts.

She heard that community mental health teams were overworked "beyond capacity" and locally, carers felt there was "nothing between Headspace and Nolan House" for loved ones.

She heard from volunteers and those working in the system who are deeply committed to finding a better pathway to people-centred care.

She heard from those who've had "skirmishes" with depression through to those "at the rough end of the stick" of mental illness, with prolonged periods in public and private inpatient facilities.

She heard the cynicism in relation to "yet another inquiry" and another report to government to tell us what we already know - that the mental health system in this country is broken and lives are being lost because of it.

(Part of Ms Greeney's role is to report to the Federal Government's Productivity Commission inquiry into mental health, with the final report due on May 23, 2020.)

And she was asked, "What happens to the people who land between their 10 Medicare-scheduled sessions and the emergency department?"

Ms Greeney was invited to the Border by community mental health champions Annette and Stuart Baker, founders of the Albury-Wodonga Winter Solstice and Australians For Mental Health (AFMH) taskforce members.

She gained vital insights into how regional and rural communities tackle mental health issues and the obstacles in their way.

What struck her most, though, was the underlying expression of hope in this community.

"Not only does it appear that Albury-Wodonga is united in the view that mental health is a real challenge for our time, the community has hope for a better way forward," Ms Greeney said.

"They hope to channel their concern, near-losses and at times devastating grief into turning things around - nobody wants to see another life lost."

Ms Greeney said part of her role would be to build that resoluteness in all communities.

She particularly liked the idea put forward around providing mental health first aid training for "untapped resources" in communities - from stock agents to school principals.

"It's looking to the community itself to help build resilience," she said.

"It all comes down to people power .. that's what builds strong, connected, caring and compassionate community."

However Ms Greeney also made the point that people need to use their voices to demand change from their elected representatives.

"Illness can make you feel helpless and strip power away from you," she said.

"We have to band together and we have to be vigilant in not allowing politicians to push things under the rug.

"That's why we do need to engage in the productivity commission and royal commission inquiries.

"It's more about what happens after that ...

"The community and groups like AFMH need to ensure this stays on the agenda - that government maintains its attention and follows through on its commitments."

Tim Farrah, who is on the AWH board, acknowledged the brokenness of the system.

"Boy, have we got a long way to go," he told those gathered on Tuesday.

"Mental health has become something everybody is touched by either directly or indirectly.

"I have become educated in how bad this is and how difficult it is to fight - we must seek to influence changes where we can."

From fun runs and fundraisers with a splash to valiant lobby groups like Friends of Nolan House and fierce discussions with policy-makers, practitioners and politicians, there is no doubt people in this community are making waves when it comes to turning the tide on mental health reform.

The annual Albury-Wodonga Winter Solstice event, now in its 8^th year, is evidence of that.

Stuart Baker said it was heartening to hear this community was on the right track.

"I think there is cause for optimism and we are seeing changes in where our community is trying to go with mental health," Mr Baker said after Tuesday's meeting.

"I think the ingredients and the will are there - and probably the expertise - but we need the right cake maker to put the money in the mix and then we can really make a difference."

Lucie Shanahan, executive director of mental health at AWH, is overseeing a "reinvention" of the way mental health care is delivered.

She agreed with Ms Greeney that a huge amount of reform was needed.

Locally the aim is to streamline access to services and create a more flexible and, in a sense, more sympathetic system with community-based care at its heart.

Ms Shanahan believes it can be done.

"Community capacity building is the first step in the mental health system," she said.

"Ten years ago the Alpine region had one of the highest rates of suicide.

"Now it has the lowest - that's been due to building the community's skills in early recognition and response, which can have a significant impact in rural and isolated communities."

Mr Baker has long advocated that community-led and community-based support is a key step in reforming the flailing mental health system.

"Yes, we absolutely need good clinical services but the community needs to do the lifting - and we sort of almost do it naturally," he said.

"What we need to do is streamline the steps, the navigation of the system, and put in place good training.

He pointed to observations made by Steve Mamouney, one of the organisers of Albury-Wodonga Big Splash, during Tuesday's discussions.

"We used to do our bronze medallion life-saving course at school," Mr Baker said.

"Why couldn't we do mental first-aid training in the same way?

"We need to equip everyone so we are all a bit better at looking for the signs and being more aware of the risks."

The climate is right for change and AFMH is focused on ensuring that happens, according to Mr Baker who insists reform must be bi-partisan.

(Our vision is) for every person in Australia to have access to appropriate mental health care when, where and for as long as they need it ... it should be a given," he said.

In the meantime, communities must maintain the rage.

And it's up to AFMH, the media, community leaders and MPs to "amplify their voices".

"We must never forget who we are fighting for," Ms Greeney said.

"The people whose lives have been changed forever from mental illness - we are doing it for them."