We met with the CEO of St Kilda Football Club, Matt Finnis on Tuesday, and with Stuart Grimley MP today, and we all agreed that services and supports for survivors, their families and communities, should be far more accessible. Not pre-determined nor limited by how services are funded, and how many service providers are involved. This is the outcome our petition is seeking, and it does already exist elsewhere in Australia and the world. We've included the diagram of New Zealand's person centric, integrated healthcare system in this post.
Instead of the current experience of having to knock on the doors of multiple service providers that require the retelling of abuse experiences, a person-centred approach to survivors, their families and communities, requires knocking on just one door. And a case manager coordinates seamless care across multiple service providers (health, social, welfare, employment, financial, justice and community). Designed around the holistic needs of individuals and families.
What this translates to is whatever service 'door' survivors and their families enter, it is a safe place for disclosure of childhood sexual abuse, that enables access to all the services that meet their individual needs.
Person-centred care also recognises that individuals are the experts of their own lived experiences and needs, and survivors and their families must be engaged in making informed decisions and choices about their care.
It also ensures each service an individual accesses delivers a trauma-informed approach that is nuanced and tailored to the their experiences. Vital to decrease the risks of individuals being re-traumatised by any service, whether it is related to substance abuse, depression, anxiety, physical ill-health, unemployment, homelessness, welfare, legal and financial services.
We are beyond thrilled that there wasn't anything we could tell the CEO of St Kilda Football club about the importance of trauma informed services, and 'no wrong door', that he didn't already know! Read more about what St Kilda Football club is doing, in the following article by ABC journalist Russell Jackson, published earlier today.
We are also thrilled about the support St Kilda Football Club is providing, to ensure a safe, respectful and supported LOUD fence day, at The Danny Frawley Centre at RSEA Park, on Sunday 1 May. More details to follow.
We're also excited to share with you that Stuart Grimley MP is supporting our petition in several ways, which will include tabling it in Victorian Parliament sometime in the future.
None of this would be possible without all of you, making us 12,330 Petitioners strong!
We remain so humbled and grateful for your support. Thank you.