Mental Health Hands On: Community Mental Health in Sydney in the 1980s

Mental Health Hands On: Community Mental Health in Sydney in the 1980s

Starting in the late 1970s, several initiatives were undertaken to provide mental health care in the community rather than mental hospitals. Mental health nurses played a central role in these; during this event, we will interview two of them.

Matina Pentes was involved in a pioneering community health initiative in Waverley-Woollahra, as part of the Health Commission of NSW. She was the director of the Bondi Junction Community Health Centre from 1976 to 1986. Graeme Curry registered as a psychiatric nurse in 1980. He worked in hospitals, communities, residential care facilities, and in private practice; taught nursing; and was active in Sydney and Brisbane in advocacy, counselling, and community development.

Chair: Prof Catharine Coleborne, University of Newcastle

Event Organiser: Research Group on the History of Community Mental Health, Univesities of Sudney and Newcastle

Cost: Free

Event website: https://www.remindinghistories.net/ 

Contact: hans.pols@sydney.edu.au 

Image credit: NSW Health, 1997.