The Loddon Mallee Murray Partners in Recovery initiative aims to help people with mental illness develop their own plans for sustained recovery and to facilitate access to local services and supports.

It is being delivered by Loddon Murray Mallee Medicare Local and is being funded through the Federal Government.

Partners in Recovery local manager Alistair Bonsey said the program would provide increased collaboration between services, better identifying co-ordinated pathways to recovery and bring about lasting improvements to service systems.

“Through the program we seek to work with independent clients and their families to help bring together all they support they need to help them recover from mental illness,” Mr Bonsey said.

An innovation fund has been established, with grants of between $25,000 and $100,000 open to organisations and individuals to deliver innovative projects to improve the way systems support people with mental illness.

Mr Bonsey said the grants were a great chance for organisations to work together and address mental health issues.

“The areas that these grants will focus on include service co-ordination, physical health, access to housing and understanding of mental illness,” he said.

“Projects will also be supported to tackle stigma, promote consumer and carer voices and improve access to mental health services in rural and remote areas.

“It’s an exciting opportunity for grassroots community organisations to really make a difference.

Mr Bonsey said Medicare Local would work closely with health services across the region to improve mental health services.

These include Bendigo Health and Bendigo Community Health Services.

Partners in Recovery was launched on Friday at Loddon Mallee Murray Medicare Local’s Bendigo office in Rowan Street.

It will be funded through to June 2016.