An alliance of community health organisations are calling for permanently embedded core disaster recovery teams in regional areas.
At the Alliance of Rural and Regional Community Health (ARRCH) conference held in Creswick in earlier October, Gateway Health program manager Jarryd Williams said his disaster recovery-focused program helped coordinate a team of recovery specialists through disasters.
He said the team also implemented the Building Ovens-Murray Ag Sector Resilience Program, which allows farming families and agribusinesses to access services like parenting and drought resilience services.
"In disaster recovery you get to walk beside someone who has lost everything and is in complete despair, to the moment when they have recovered and back on their feet and moving forward," he said.
"Over the past three and a half years, the team and I have had to learn a great deal about farming.
"We've done counselling sessions while ponies and calves are being born, we've chased cattle and other things we never anticipated that we would do."
He said those living in agricultural communities wanted to avoid travelling two hours to see specialists or health professionals.
He said disaster recovery-focused programs, which focus on mitigation, validate farmers' experiences.
"It's about respect and solidarity - showing people you are there and fighting for them and we're here to help and we're going to do it side-by-side," he said.
"As well as keeping the knowledge and trust we have gained over the past four years, we have teams that can do risk mitigation and preparation work.
"Research shows that if you spend more on risk mitigation and preparation, the amount spent on recovery is significantly less.
Current funding for disaster recovery support will end at the end of June 2024.
The state government have recently announced new funding and facilities to assist with disaster-related support in different regions.
On Tuesday, the Victorian government announced people living in regional areas and outer Melbourne could access nine new local services to assist with mental health without needing a doctor's referral.
Mental health and drug dependency services in Shepparton, Mildura, Lilydale, Orbost and Bairnsdale will be provided by Wellways Australia.
Mind Australia will provide services in Bendigo, Echuca, Melton and Dandenong.
The announcement was part of a government commitment after recommendations from the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System.
"The Royal Commission showed us that there can be a number of barriers hindering people's access to the mental health system - that is why the [local services] are a critically important 'front door' to getting them the help they need," Mental Health Minister Ingrid Stitt said.
Last week, Premier Jacinta Allen opened the Campaspe Community Recovery Hub in Rochester, providing services from Anglicare, Emergency Recovery Victoria, Mind Australia, Partners in Wellbeing, and Bendigo Community Health.
