The Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals are facilities similar to headspace, which aims to make mental healthcare more accessible.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals are available to people ineligible for headspace.
These services are in response to a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, with between 50 and 60 new services to be up and running across the state by 2026.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals will provide Victorians with community-based care, with a focus on prevention and early intervention, providing treatment close to individuals’ support systems and local community.
These services will be available to adults aged 26 and older who experience psychological distress and mental illness, including those with co-occurring substance use or addiction.
Mental Health Minister Gabrielle Williams praised these services for increasing access to mental health services.
“The royal commission told us that too many Victorians find navigating the mental health system too hard — we’re removing barriers to getting that care, with services in communities providing care close to home,” she said.
The new services, set to open by the end of the year, will be in seven locations, adding to the first six services that opened late last year, including in Benalla.
Planning is under way for additional locations to receive Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals.
There is no eligibility criteria, requirement for a GP referral or cost to access the service, which includes peer support workers.
For more information on the advertised call for submissions, visit www.tenders.vic.gov.au
