Top End Mental Health Consumers Organisation (TEMHCO) Incorporated

The Top End Mental Health Consumer Organisation is the only incorporated mental health consumer organisation in the Northern Territory. We offer information/education, social & recreational activities, informal support groups & friendship to people with a mental illness. Top End Mental Health Consumer Organisation (TEMHCO) has now been in operation for nearly 20 years but has only recently undergone several major changes since the change of management in November 2018. We aim to be a leading mental health provider in Palmerston and its rural areas. We also provide high quality social and emotional support and advocacy service to individuals with a mental illness. We are registered as an NDIS Provider and will work towards creating an environment that has appropriate accreditation. Our organisation is member-driven, promotes good mental health to its members and the community, and provides a recovery assistance psycho-social program that focuses on developing consumers’ life skills, education, and training. We campaign on behalf of our consumers for improvements in mental health to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and discrimination within the communities and enable individuals to access support that will improve their mental health and social well-being. We have recently undergone many changes that have seen an increase in the range of services that we provide for our consumers which promotes social inclusion and mental well-being. These services include some new therapeutic activities such as art therapy, sewing and craft classes, music therapy and meditation classes, which assist our consumers who have a mental illness as well as those who have a dual diagnosis of alcohol and drug addiction and are receiving remedial assistance.