A RIVERLAND mental health group was recently forced to find a new home, after a State Government service ended its lease on a building used by local community groups.
Until recently, the Riverland Rainbow Connection group met at 9-11 Seekamp Street, Berri – also know as the Riverland Resource Centre – each week, with about 15 members usually in attendance.
The building was leased by the Riverland Community Mental Health team, which rented the building to a range of groups over the years including the Riverland Rainbow Connection, the Riverland Women’s Cancer Support Group and Ethnic Link Services.
However, building users were informed in July 2020 that they would need to seek new premises, as SA Health was letting the building’s lease expire.
Riverland Mallee and Coorong Local Health Network (RMCLHN) chief executive officer Wayne Champion said groups had been given advanced notice and were supported in finding alternative locations for their meetings.
“The Riverland Community Mental Health team have relocated to the Community Health Building, and consequently, the leased Seekamp Street building was no longer required by the LHN,” he said.
“The co-location means patients will be able to more easily access a range of health services under the same roof.”
Rainbow Connection group co-ordinator Judy Hutchinson said “it would have been nice” for SA Health to consult user groups before making the decision.
“We met there until March last year when we had to stop because of COVID, then when we thought we’d be able to go back to Seekamp Street we found out they weren’t renewing the lease,” she said.
“We were lucky enough to re-establish ourselves at the Berri Senior Citizens Club building. “At that building we are paying rent – which is understandable – but when we were at Seekamp Street we had an agreement with Community Mental Health that we would maintain the garden, and that would be our way of paying for the room…
“This move has resulted in an extra rental expense of $260.
“All the groups now have a new home, but it would have been nice to be involved in the decision making and be asked.”
Ms Hutchinson said the Rainbow Connection group was non-profit and operated without State or Federal Government funding, relying on raffles and small entry fees to raise funds.
“This group provides support for both the carer and the consumer,” she said. “The importance of the group is shown by the fact that in the past six years none of the members of Riverland Rainbow Connection Incorporated have been hospitalised.
“This indicates the importance of the support members receive from the group, which also saves government money…”