Refugees and asylum seekers are set to benefit from enhanced health services in Victoria.
The state government has announced extra funds for health and wellbeing programs in response to growing numbers of Syrian and Iraqi refugees arriving.
Twenty-two-year-old Hazara refugee Aref Ramazani was diagnosed with depression while attending high school in Melbourne.
"I was not motivated. I would lose hope every day. And I was just not passionate about my studies anymore. That's when I went back to the doctor, and he referred me to a specialist."
The trauma of fleeing Afghanistan, combined with the stress of his family's detention on Christmas Island and the challenges of adapting to life in Australia, had contributed to his ill health.
"I listened to my doctor's advice and followed his instructions. And after six months, I was back to my old self."
Now, mental-health programs supporting refugees are part of a new $11 million refugee-health package Victorian health minister Jill Hennessy has announced.
"Some of this money will go to things like investing in refugee-health nurses that will provide community outreach. Some of this money will also go to the establishment of a paediatric refugee-health specialist."
The package includes a new catch-up immunisation program and paid 12-week internships for refugees and asylum seekers.
Michael Combs is founder of CareerSeekers, a non-profit organisation creating private-sector opportunities for asylum seekers and refugees seeking professional employment.
He says internships are important to mental health.
"Because they get people active, they get people looking forward to something. They give people hope that they're going to earn a wage, that they're going to get back into their professions."
The Victorian government funding announcement comes on top of $44 million over four years already allocated to health services for refugees and asylum seekers.
Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture chief executive Paris Aristotle welcomes the additional funds.
But he says extra health services are not enough.
He says the rates of suicide and self-harm among asylum seekers living in the community are rising due to the persistent insecurity they feel.
"We can't deal with that unless the policy parameters allow for people to be processed more quickly and fairly. But, also, at the end of that, if they're found to be refugees, to be able to know that they can live here permanently and that they will be able to be reunited with families."
As for Aref Ramazani, he is no longer just surviving.
He is thriving.
"I've learnt that tough times don't last, depression is just temporary, and you can overcome that by asking for treatment and seeking help."
