Mental health organisations support people in distress every day. Now more than ever we need to support each other and work with community organisations and government agencies to get through this pandemic together.
We will keep the sector up-to-date through our weekly FYI newsletter, this website and email alerts as required.
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Contact us about any issues or concerns or if you require further advice or information on askus@mhcc.org.au
Latest News (updated 20 September 2021)
Restrictions eased in LGAs of concern
From 20 September 2021, restrictions in the local government areas of concern will start to align with Greater Sydney. Eased restrictions include:
- No limits on the duration of outdoor exercise and recreation (previously a two-hour limit)
- Allowing outdoor gatherings of up to five fully vaccinated people (not including children aged 12 and under) in a person’s LGA or within 5km of home (previously only fully vaccinated household members could gather outdoors, or up to two fully vaccinated people from different households)
- Shopping, exercise and outdoor recreation now being allowed to be done 5km from home or within your LGA (previously only 5km from home)
- Attending a small wedding (maximum 11 people) in Greater Sydney as a guest (previously only allowed in their LGA)
- A person’s single’s bubble buddy can live in Greater Sydney (previously must have resided within 5km of a person’s home). A person from a LGA of concern can also now be a buddy for someone in Greater Sydney.
While nearly all restrictions in the LGAs of concern are now aligned with other lockdown areas, authorised worker conditions and travel permit requirements still remain in place in the LGAs of concern.
NSW Government has provided a toolkit with useful resources to communicate these changes.
Disability day programs
From 11 September 2021, disability day programs may recommence in areas no longer under stay-at-home orders in accordance with the Public Health Order.
Activities in group settings should continue to be suspended for those still under stay-at-home orders, unless non-attendance at a day program would result in a risk of harm to the person with disability or others.
If activities are continued for this reason, day program providers should:
- provide individual activities and avoid group interactions unless the participants are from the same household
- maintain COVID-19 infection prevention protocols
For more information, visit the NSW Health – COVID-19 Disability Service Providers page.
Mandatory vaccinations in LGAs of concern
To help authorised workers plan for vaccinations, please see the timetable provided by NSW Health below:
| Date Commencing |
Category of worker |
Mandatory vaccination requirement |
| 9 September |
Authorised workers who live in an LGA of concern who leave their LGA for work purposes. |
First dose OR
Evidence of an appointment to get vaccinated on or before 19 September |
| 9 September |
Disability, early childhood care and food processing workers who live or work in an LGA of concern |
First dose OR
Evidence of an appointment to get vaccinated on or before 19 September |
| 9 September |
Residential aged care facility (RACF) workers and others who work in or enter RACF |
First dose OR
Evidence of an appointment to get vaccinated on or before 19 September |
| 30 September |
Health care workers |
First dose |
| 31 October |
Health pracitioners and students who enter RACF |
First dose |
| 30 November |
Health care workers |
Second dose |
For the latest updates, visit the NSW Health – COVID-19 Disability Service Providers page.
Current 14-day COVID-19 travel permits extended to 30 September
All previously issued 14-day travel permits have been extended to 30 September 2021.
Workers may continue to use their existing COVID-19 travel registration unless details of the travel have changed.
New permits issued will be valid until 30 September 2021.
Workers must still carry their travel registration and supporting documents, and substantiate any locations they are travelling to, if requested by NSW Police.
For more information, visit the Service NSW page.
Freedoms for people in NSW who have had both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine
From 13 September 2021:
- For those who live outside the LGAs of concern, outdoor gatherings of up to five people (including children) will be allowed in a person’s LGA or within 5km of home.
- For those who live in the LGAs of concern, and who have responded to the call out to get vaccinated, households with all adults vaccinated will be able to gather outdoors (including picnics) within the existing rules (for one hour only, outside curfew hours and within 5km of home).
For more information, visit the NSW Government COVID-19 page.
For the latest case information, visit NSW Health.
Quick reference – resources to help you through lockdown
WayAhead | Workplaces COVID-19 support
WayAhead | Stress Less Tips
Black Dog Institute | COVID-19 Resources for Anxiety & Stress
Smiling Mind | Mindfulness in the home for parents and carers
Network of Alcohol and Other Drugs Agencies | Wellbeing video series
Lifeline | Working from Home Toolkit
SANE | Discussion Forums
Further Information on COVID-19
Department of Health – Health Alerts
NSW Health – COVID-19 updates
NSW Department of Communities and Justice – Info for Service Providers
NSW Government – COVID-19 Mental Health & Wellbeing
NDIS – COVID Info & Support
NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission – COVID-19 information for people with disability
NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission – COVID-19 information for providers
National Coronavirus Helpline: 1800 020 080
COVID-19 Disability Information Helpline : 1800 643 787
#GettingThroughThisTogether campaign by National Mental Health Commission
COVID Toolkits: NSW Government has released COVID toolkits for businesses:
Mental Health Support
Lifeline Phone – 13 11 14
Mental Health Line – 1800 011 511
Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Line – 1800 512 348
Western Sydney Help Line – 02 8890 5236
Australian Psychological Society | COVID-19 information for Australians
Being Mental Health Consumers
Beyond Blue | COVID-19
Bipolar Australia | Staying Home with Bipolar
Blue Knot | COVID-19 factsheet
e-Mental Health in Practice | Managing your mental health during COVID-19 (Factsheet on government-funded online, phone and app mental health support)
Grow | Mental Health Groups
Independent Community Living Australia | eFriend (Online Peer Support)
Mental Health Australia | Look after your mental health Australia
Mental Health Carers NSW
NSW Mental Health Commission | Mental Health and COVID-19
Red Cross | How to prepare for COVID-19 – 1800 733 276
Wayahead | Taking care of your mental health in the wake of COVID-19
World Health Organization | Mental health and psychosocial considerations during COVID-19
Resources for Organisations
Department of Health | COVID-19 Advice for people with disability
Department of Health | COVID-19 Advice for aged care or residential and home care
Department of Health | COVID-19 resources for health professionals
Department of Health | Mental Health for the health workforce during COVID-19
NSW Health | COVID-19 information for people with disability
NSW Health | Information for disability service providers
NSW Health | Public Health Orders & Restrictions
eSafety Commissioner | Advice for Frontline Workers Supporting Women
ASIC | Guidelines for meetings using virtual technology
Australian Bureau of Statistics | Household impacts of COVID-19
Australian Commission on Safety & Quality in Health Care | Environmental cleaning and infection prevention and control
Australian Institute of Company Directors | Key learnings from the COVID-19 crisis
Mental Health Online | Practical guide to video mental health consultation
NCOSS | COVID-19 Community Sector Resource
United for Global Mental Health | Mental Health for All Webinar Series
WayAhead | Workplaces COVID-19 support
Resources for Multicultural Communities
NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service | COVID-19 in-language resources
NSW Health | COVID-19 translated resources
Community & Cultural Connections | Vietnamese
Community & Cultural Connections | Arabic
Indian Support Centre
Resources for Indigenous Communities
Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council of NSW | COVID-19
Australian Indigenous Health Infonet | COVID-19 updates & information
WellMob (Social, emotional and cultural wellbeing online resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People)
Resources for Older Australians
Department of Health | COVID-19 information for older Australians
Seniors COVID-19 Support Line – 1800 171 866
Resources for Children and Families
Centre for Disease Control & Prevention | Helping Children Cope
Emerging Minds | Supporting children during COVID-19
Gidget Foundation | COVID-19 support
Helping Minds
UNICEF | How to talk to children about COVID-19
Resources for Young People
Headspace | How to cope with stress related to COVID-19
Reach Out
Resources for LGBTBIQ+
ACON | COVID-19
LGBTI Health
Face Mask & Hygiene Info
Department of Health | Personal Protective Equipment for the health workforce
NDIS | Personal Protective Equipment Temporary Claims
Australian Commission on Safety & Quality in Health Care | COVID-19 and face masks
Australian Commission on Safety & Quality in Health Care | Environmental cleaning and infection prevention and control
Australian Commission on Safety & Quality in Health Care | Infection Risk Management Fact Sheet
Resources for cleaning gyms and sensory rooms in health settings
Safe use of Sensory Equipment and Sensory Rooms
Poster for Gym and Sensory Rooms
Cleaning Guide for Exercise and Sensory Equipment
Poster on Cleaning Products for Staff
Cleaning of Ambulatory Care Centres
Fair Work Info
Fairwork Ombudsman | COVID-19
Financial Assistance
National Debt Helpline | COVID-19 – 1800 007 007
Alcohol and Other Drugs
Network of Alcohol and Other Drugs Agencies | COVID-19
Legal Assistance
Justice Connect | COVID-19
Scam Warnings
ACCC | ScamWatch
