PEOPLE presenting with mental health issues from the pandemic, especially the second wave of COVID-19 restrictions in Victoria, have brought a surge of 25 per cent in cases across the North East.

The North East catchment, which includes Wangaratta and stretches from Mansfield to Upper Murray, has experienced a dramatic rise in people seeking help, with some people acutely unwell, battling conditions such as depression, and anxiety arising from social isolation and financial stress.

Some 400 people are employed by Albury Wodonga Health, Mental Health, servicing the region across a range of departments, including new funding recently allocated to roll out a rural outreach program to assist bushfire victims who feel “abandoned”.