Innovation
Free homeless youth dental checks
Over 7,600 young people aged 12-24 years are estimated to be living homeless in Victoria . 1
Seeing a dentist is often a big challenge for this group and puts them at higher risk for poor short and long-term dental health .
In response , we ’ re bringing free dental care directly to homeless youth in partnership with Melbourne City Mission ’ s Frontyard Youth Services .
“ By providing place-based dental services right where people are , we ’ re improving integrated care with Frontyard and supporting better health outcomes .
The program will also provide valuable data which will help us better understand the oral health status and broader social health impacts of people experiencing vulnerability .”
Jonathan Teoh Dental Manager , Merri Health
Our innovative outreach program delivers essential check-ups and oral care at Frontyard ’ s drop-in centre in Melbourne ’ s CBD . So far , 47 youth have received free dental care in our first two visits with more to come !
We ’ re proud to be partnering with Frontyard which provides safe emergency accommodation , health , education and more for homeless youth , many of whom experience mental health issues and struggle to ask for help .
visit our website to find out more .
1
ABS . Estimating Homelessness : Census , 2021 | Australian Bureau of Statistics [ Internet ]. 2021 [ cited May 27 ]. Available from : https :// www . abs . gov . au / statistics / people / housing / estimating-homelessness-census / latest-release
Frontyard client received free dental care from Merri Health ’ s dental team .
Merri Health aces aged care and mental health audits
It was a big week in April as we were audited by the Aged Care Commission and Quality Innovation Performance ( QIP ) to ensure that Merri Health meets the standards for Aged Care ( ACS ) and Mental Health ( NSMHS ).
We successfully met all 194 performance indicators !
High-quality and person-centred care for people who need it most was recognised by the assessors .
“ The combined results are a testament to our organisational values and culture , the passion of our staff and the great pride that we all collectively take in our work on a daily basis . Well done to all involved !”
Philip Pharonides Manager Quality Customer Experience , Merri Health
Highlights included :
consumers supported with respect , dignity , and compassion
strong consumer centred care model and goal directed care outcomes
staff motivated to make a difference to people ’ s lives and show genuine care and commitment to their work
MerriNews June - July 2024 | 5 .