A health professor in north west Queensland, says mental health support for drought affected communities needs to come in the form of community events, rather than workshops.

Sabina Knight is the director of the Mount Isa Centre for Rural and Remote Health, and was also part of an expert panel appointed by the Federal Government, to review the social impacts of drought in 2008.

Professor Knight believes social events are the best way to build up psychological resilience.

"People might not necessarily recognise a mental health forum and they might think that the program hasn't occurred.

"But if they look back and see that there's been a range of events in the region, where people have come together, then I'd suspect they've been served very well."

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