People with mental illness in Melbourne and Moonee Valley have better access to family violence and sexual assault support services as a result of the Department of Human Services-initiated Building Partnerships Project.

The Inner West Building Partnerships Working Group has forged links between the Inner West Area Mental Health Service (AMHS), community health centres and agencies covering sexual assault, family outreach, psychiatric disability rehabilitation and support and women's supported housing.

Training is planned for staff across these western services on how to identify other personal issues affecting their clients and how to arrange specialist help through the partner organisations.

Research has found 68 per cent of women and 40 per cent of men with serious mental illness have a history of sexual assault.

'The group has met monthly for the last year, improved the communication channels and further developed relationships between the partners,' said working group member Natasha Markulev from Inner West AMHS.

'It has also shown clients often do not disclose abuse because they are never asked.

'As a result, staff have learned how to sensitively identify people who would benefit from other community services.

'Some are now benefiting from joint-service care from several agencies.'

An important initiative has been producing a poster to help staff find and contact a range of 24-hour support services.

•          For more information on the Inner West Building Partnerships Group contact the Inner West AMHS on 9377 3400.