UPDATE: WE HAVE RECOMMENCED OUR FACE-TO-FACE COUNSELLING. PLEASE HELP US BY ADHERING TO OUR NEW SOCIAL DISTANCING, HYGIENIC PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES.
We hope you’re all feeling well and coping well during these very unsettling times.
We’ve had to make a number of big changes to the way we deliver our services at the Domestic Violence Resource Service.
We have NOT closed our service and we will continue to provide counselling and assistance for those who need it. However we have changed the way this will be delivered.
These changes are:
All counselling will now be over the phone
If you have an appointment coming up, your counsellor will get in touch with you. If you would like to make an appointment please call us on 4953 1788.
Only in extremely urgent cases will we be able to assist people face to face
We are deeply concerned by the possibility of a spike in domestic and family violence during this time, particularly as people are forced to self-isolate at home. Please know that our Centre is still here to assist all women affected by domestic and family violence and we encourage you to phone us if you need help at this time.
If you are in immediate danger phone 000.
If you are looking for assistance, emergency referral or crisis counselling phone us on 4953 1788 Monday – Friday from 8.30am-4.30pm.
After-hours: For 24-free, confidential QLD-based crisis counselling, emergency referral and information phone DV Connect on 1800 811 811.
All groups and activities are cancelled
We’ve had to make the difficult but necessary decision to cancel all groups and activities at Mackay Women’s Centre until further notice. This includes groups associated with the centre, but not at the centre (for example, Sarina Women’s Group).
Visiting services will no longer be attending
We will not have any of the visiting services (financial counsellor, Centrelink representative etc) at the Centre until further notice.
We’re not calling for donated items
We are not currently asking for, or needing, donations at this time as we’re still very well stocked thanks to the generosity of the Mackay community over the Christmas period. If you’d like to make a one-off monetary donation to the centre, please visit our how to donate to Domestic Violence Resource Service page.
Please know that we are still here for you. We will just have to do things differently for the time being, for your safety, for the safety of our staff and for the safety of our community.
We’re available from 8.30am until 4.30pm each weekday and we will continue to be until further notice. If this changes we will let the community know via the DVRS Facebook page and this website. Please monitor these pages for updates.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a break from the news or social media but stay informed through the official channels, Queensland Health Covid-19 and and the Australian Government Dept of Health.
Be a kind, thoughtful and responsible citizen at this time. Consider those who may be less fortunate than yourself. And, of course, wash your hands.
Thank you!
