The WayAhead Grants are awarded to people from across NSW to support special events during Mental Health Month, with 46 recipients to share in $34,500 this year.

“These grant recipients are all great examples of grassroots organisations assisting people with mental health issues, helping small communities meet and share their journeys together,” Mrs Taylor said.

“This is particularly important in regional areas where people can be isolated and where the drought has had a significant impact on mental health.”

The grant recipients are community organisations in areas like Broken Hill, Dubbo, Tenterfield and Deniliquin, including:

• Delhuntie Youth Care in Bulahdelah will run a full day suicide prevention and resilience program at the local high school;
• Autism Spectrum Australia in Frenchs Forest will host an art expo for students with autism and mental health challenges such as anxiety;
• Headspace Coffs Harbour will fund a stall at local weekend markets during Mental Health Week to promote its youth mental health services.

Mrs Taylor also outlined the significance of this year’s Mental Health Month  theme, ‘Share the Journey’.

“Sharing the Journey is about sharing a positive social connection with others and supporting people through difficult times,” she said.

The NSW Government has committed in the 2019-20 budget a record investment of $2.2 billion into mental health services and infrastructure for people living with mental illness, their families and carers.

Mental Health Month is celebrated every October across NSW, Victoria and the ACT, and centres around World Mental Health Day on 10 October.