Funding for services providing critical support to flood victims in Victoria is yet to be renewed but social workers say the many people still in crisis desperately need help.
Demand for targeted mental health and family violence support is on the rise as the six-month anniversary of the flood in the town of Rochester approaches.
Hundreds of residents are still displaced and some are yet to return.
Workers at Rochester Community House, which helps residents access services and support, say mental health is one of the greatest concerns.
Mind Australia has had a team of mental health practitioners working in the Loddon and Campaspe shires since the floods swept through in October, but funding to work specifically with flood victims runs out on June 30.
"We know that the recovery is not just over in June," Mind Australia service manager Rebecca Matheson Omondi said.
"It'll be years of recovery for many families in the region."
She said there was a lot of pressure in the community beyond financial stress and that mental health practitioners had seen an increase in drug and alcohol use as well as domestic violence.
"We have quite a few people who are accessing our services that have had thoughts of harming themselves or suicide," Ms Matheson Omondi said.
"There have been suicides across the region, which has deeply impacted right across the community."
She said her organisation was in discussions with the state government and was hopeful that the funding would be extended.
"If it doesn't, we believe it will leave a significant gap in the community for people who won't know how to access services, won't have someone to talk to, may not reach out for help around some of the key issues we're seeing on the ground," Ms Matheson Omondi said.
The government has yet to reveal whether further funding will be provided, ahead of the state budget next month, but a spokesperson acknowledged the need for the services.
"We know the recent floods have put an incredible amount of pressure on affected communities — that's why we've provided dedicated mental health support to help them," they said.
Family violence incidents rise
The Centre for Non-Violence received six months' worth of funding to work specifically with flood victims, but that funding also runs out in June.
"We've seen a really significant demand for our therapeutic services and our crisis response services as women navigate through this trauma," executive manager of programs, Yvette Jaczina said.
"One woman told us she'd been experiencing family violence prior to the floods," she said.
"During the floods, the violence increased and her ability to access support and flee reduced."
Ms Jaczina said some women told the centre that their partners threatened them via text message while they were isolated by the floods.
She expected more people to reach out once it was safe to do so.
At Bridgewater, north-west of Bendigo, an old railway station is being used as a flood recovery hub.
"We want to see that service keep going because there's a lot of need out there," one of the coordinators, Colleen Condliffe, said.
"A lot of people won't come forward with these types of problems.
"We've got to keep pushing for what we can get out here."
