Portland's suicide rate 45% above state average with no detox support
Portland's suicide rate is 45 per cent higher than Victoria's average, yet the town lacks detox services.
Susan Roll's son struggled with mental health, trauma, and addiction. Susan Roll, a mental health first aid teacher, couldn't find treatment for him at regional hospitals.
Susan Roll took him to Warrnambool three times seeking a detox bed and failed each time. Susan Roll's son finally received the help he needed only after being imprisoned.
Portland's suicide rate is 45 per cent above Victoria's average. The town has no detox services, minimal support for men, and faces GP shortages and a lack of specialists.
Organizations like Power In You Project now visit Portland one day a week to provide support. Roll is pushing for better mental health resources in smaller regional towns.
- 45 per cent higher than Victoria's average
- Suicide rate gap
- Three failed trips to Warrnambool
- Detox attempts
- Regional Victoria, no detox services
- Portland location
- 2017
- Power In You founded
Why it mattersShows how hard it is for families to find mental health support in small regional towns, even when they know where to look.
AustraliaVictorians in regional areas like Portland face significant gaps in mental health and detox services; highlights critical need for better funding and staffing in regional Australia.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 h ago
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