Step Up/Step Down Karratha a ‘step in the right direction’ but more early intervention services are needed

Karratha’s Step Up/Step Down facility promises to fill a crucial gap for the region’s mental health crisis, and while many see the project as a positive step, others have been advocating for more comprehensive resources. Earlier this month, Pilbara Building Company was awarded the construction contract for the Step Up/Step Down amenity in Bulgarra. During a recent visit to Karratha, Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said she expected construction of the facility to be completed this year and opened shortly afterwards. “The importance of this facility is to provide an alternative for the people that go down to Perth or even up to Broome to access inpatient care,” she said. Since the passing of her beloved son, Machlan Felix, Kristie Grabenhofer has been petitioning for greater mental health resources in the region. “They are still missing the middle ground,” she said. “Step Up/ Step Down is great for aftercare and reintegration into the community after an acute mental illness, but they’re still missing the most important issue, which is our need for on-hand psychs and an acute care intervention team 24/7. “The part that comes before rehabilitation needs to be as important as the part that comes after. “Some people don’t make it to the aftercare. This priority needs to be addressed first and foremost. “The facility isn’t expected to be complete until 2026. What are they doing in the meantime?” Dust and Adversity founder Jason Bravington said the Karratha Step Up/ Step down facility was a genuine step in the right direction for Karratha, but highlighted concerns about its location. “The facility is close to town and the local ambulance service, which may cause unrest with patients and added anxiety who are already in a volatile state,” he said. “A facility like this will only work if we can adequately staff the facility with full-time consistent staff. “Is six beds enough for a town in crisis like Karratha, or is it just a bandaid? “Step Up/Step Down is a great service for aftercare, but Karratha is still doing nothing about mental health before that; we still don’t have any on-hand psychs or any early intervention services. “If we put more effort into early intervention services, it would eradicate the need for a Step Up/Step Down service.” Comments on a Karratha Moan and Groan Facebook post regarding the location of the Step Up/Step Down facility revealed a divided community on the topic. The post by an anonymous member read: “I think it’s a great initiative, however being built in a residential area where I live, I’d really like a bit more info about security.” In response, one community member wrote: “It’s a Step Up/Step Down for patients not meeting criteria to be hospitalised. This is a great resource for Karratha which is lacking mental health services.” Another commented: “They should have utilised a hospital dwelling that was already established.” Ms Sanderson said Step Up/Step Down facilities were not intended to be on health campuses but rather community-based facilities. “There’s nothing to be afraid of here,” she said. “If people want access for their loved ones to mental health facilities, then they need to be in the community.” “They are not hospital centres, they are community-based centres, and they allow people to live a relatively normal life, get access to employment, go study and really build themselves back to be able to live in their own home and their own environment. “This is going to be a really important addition to Karratha, and once it’s open and running, people will barely even know that it’s there.” Lifeline 13 11 14 Beyond Blue 1300 224 636 RuralLink 1800 552 002 (after hours)