Mental health Archives | Page 2 of 22 | South Western Sydney PHN

05 February 2026

SWSPHN-funded You in Mind services are now open to accepting new referrals in Camden, Campbelltown, Liverpool, Bankstown and Fairfield.

The program temporarily ceased accepting new referrals in these LGAs in December.

The You in Mind program is designed to support people in underserviced and hard to reach communities, who have a mild to severe mental health issue, are over the age of 12 years, and are experiencing barriers to accessing support through the Medicare Better Access initiative.

It provides free psychological therapies and non-clinical peer support.

It is recommended that if a patient is able to engage with Better Access, this is the preferred service for them. More information about the Better Access Initiative is available online. To gain access to this initiative, patients will need to make an appointment with their GP for a Mental Health Treatment Plan.

GPs can refer into You in Mind through SWSPHN’s Mental Health Central Intake.

Referral instructions for GPs

Find out about You in Mind

13 January 2026

Do you have a lived experience of mental ill health? Are you passionate about ensuring local mental health services are relevant to local need?

Your experience matters and we want to hear from you.

SWSPHN is currently seeking expressions of interest for consumer or community representatives to be a mental health consumer voice while working closely with our staff on Our Experience Matters (OEM) Reference Group.

OEM is made up of people with living or lived experience of mental ill health, their family, friends and carers as well as those who have been bereaved by suicide.

If you are passionate about improving the primary care services available to South Western Sydney residents, you are invited to express your interest to join OEM by completing the form below.

What’s expected of you:

Consumer and carer representatives will work closely with staff members to improve the safety, access and quality of services by offering their advice and experience.

Meetings are held quarterly on a Monday, from 10am to 11.30am. Attendance can be online or face-to-face at the SWSPHN office in Campbelltown. The next meeting is Monday, 9 February 2026.

In return members are remunerated for their time and expertise at a rate of $150 per hour.

If you have any questions, please call Luke Swain on 4632 3023 or email luke.swain@swsphn.com.au for more information.

What our members say about OEM:

“I believe that each person has a right to realise their full potential, take control of their lives through recovery. The OEM committee is an important link towards this” – current OEM member

“I also like to be involved in the OEM committee as it gives me insight into updated practices, service interventions and support which I can share throughout the community” – current OEM member

21 November 2025

Support the people who use your organisation become aware of the FREE Medicare Mental Health phone service.

By displaying a poster in your organisation’s foyer or waiting room, and having a supply of flyers and/or wallet cards to hand out, you will be helping your customers, students or patients who may be dealing with mental health illness learn of this vital, free service.

SWSPHN are accepting orders from local organisation to receive free printed collateral.

Digital assets also available

Download email banners, social tiles and website banners here:

See and download digital assets

Place your order for your free printed collateral by COB Monday, 15 December 2025.

Your order will be delivered before Christmas. This offer is only available to deliveries based in South Western Sydney. If your organisation is not open during the delivery period, your items will be delivered early in the new year.

11 November 2025

A mental health condition is a health issue just like any other. However, dealing with mental health conditions can be overwhelming to patients and their loved ones.

Parenting and mental health are deeply connected – for many parents, mental health can impact parenting and parenting can impact mental health.

Circumstances of parents can have a great impact on the immediate emotional and social wellbeing, and the future mental health outcomes for children. Children need age-appropriate education and support to understand and cope with a parent’s mental illness and this can significantly prevent or minimise the impact on them.

GPs, often the first point of contact for family health, play a vital role. By linking parents with the right support services and providing age-appropriate support to children they can help prevent or minimise the impact of parental mental illness on children.

Resources for GPs and other health professionals:

Emerging Minds
Emerging Minds – GPs resources
SWSLHD Family Focused Recovery (formerly Children of Parents with Mental Illness) – phone 9780 2777
NSW Health Family Focused Recovery Framework

This article appeared in Practice Pulse on Wednesday, 12 November 2025. If you are a GP, practice nurse or practice manager in South Western Sydney and do not get the weekly Practice Pulse email, speak to your Practice Support Officer.

04 November 2025

SWSPHN’s HEAL program and the importance of health literacy in successfully promoting physical activity, were highlighted at the WSYD Moving Symposium 2025 at Western Sydney Conference Centre, Penrith on Thursday, 30 October.

The symposium brought together more than 250 leaders, health practitioners and community voices under the theme Accelerating action – tackling inactivity and inequity, to urge cross-sector collaboration in unlocking healthier, more active lifestyles for all communities.

SWSPHN staff including Nisha Nair, Alyssa Horgan and Luke Swain (pictured) attended the event, with Nisha joining a panel focused on Embedding physical activity into health systems, where she discussed our HEAL (Healthy Eating Active Lifestyle) program.

HEAL is an eight-week evidence-based program designed for people who have, or are at risk of type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease, to improve their health through better nutrition, increased physical activity and long-term behaviour change.

During the panel discussion, Nisha gave HEAL as one example of a SWSPHN initiative which promoted physical activity saying there is capacity for the program to be scaled through joint collaboration.

“HEAL facilitates collaborative opportunities through providing templates for communication, options for the exercise components which can be adapted based on the group of participants and opportunities for health education,” she said.

“We have commissioned service providers within our region to run the HEAL program for our community, and we are hoping to support over 200 people within our region.

“Embedded within the program are opportunities for facilitators to collaborate with GPs and other relevant health providers involved in the care of the participants. We’re looking to explore different versions of HEAL for different population groups to expand the impact of the program.”

Penrith Deputy Mayor Garion Thain opened the event, which included an address by State Health Minister Ryan Park, and 40 speakers from health, local government, sport, academia and community sectors, covering Local Active Partnerships, systems leadership, community-led solutions and new opportunities for collaboration.

When asked about building the capability of the health workforce to champion physical activity – particularly for those who may not see it as ‘their role’ – Nisha spoke about how building opportunities to showcase the impact of those roles could result in ‘lightbulb moments’.

“I was at a youth refugee expo a few weeks ago, where we had a push up competition to build awareness of the impact of physical activity,” she said.

“As language was a barrier with some of the interactions at the event, we saw the impact volunteer interpreters made with bridging that health literacy gap.

“Not only did having interpreters help with building that awareness of physical activity with participants, they saw attendees taking flyers not only for themselves but for their siblings and parents.

“I saw the lightbulb moment in the volunteers’ heads – that sense of contribution they felt in that moment.”

WSYD Moving is a health-promotion charity. The symposium marked the official launch of the WSYD Moving Systems Leadership Course, a first-of-its-kind program designed to build capacity and strengthen collaboration across sectors.

WSYD Moving Convenor David Burns said physical inactivity cost the Western Sydney region more than $1.5 billion every year.

“We can’t solve this alone — it requires all of us working together. The symposium is a key event to bring parts of the system together, build relationships, and help to systemise approaches that enable communities to reduce inequity in access to more active lifestyles.”

Find out more about HEAL

Find out more about WSYD Moving

17 October 2025

South Western Sydney welcomed the official opening of Australia’s 50th Medicare Mental Health Centre – a new service at Campbelltown supporting people experiencing mental health concerns – on Friday, 17 October.

SWSPHN is funding Grand Pacific Health and its partners Odyssey House NSW, Relationships Australia NSW and Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation, to provide free, walk-in mental health and wellbeing support for Campbelltown and surrounding areas.

Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Emma McBride, joined Macarthur MP Michael Freelander, Werriwa MP Anne Stanley, State Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson, State Camden MP Sally Quinnell, Campbelltown Mayor Darcy Lound, and representatives from SWSPHN, Grand Pacific Health, its partners and the community for the service’s official launch.

Medicare Mental Health Centres offer a welcoming place where everyone can access free and confidential mental health information, services and supports from multidisciplinary care teams over extended hours.

Services are free and you don’t need an appointment or referral.

The support offered includes:

immediate help and follow-up for people who are in distress
support for people with mental health concerns
support for carers and families of people experiencing mental health distress
help connecting people with other services to support them in the future, from health to mental health, and social supports like housing and employment

SWSPHN Acting Chief Executive Officer, Amy Prince (pictured right), said there were high levels of psychological distress in South Western Sydney, with an estimated 221,864 people or 19.8 per cent of the region’s population likely experiencing a mental illness in the 12 months to June 2024.

“The prevalence of mental illness in our region is expected to increase within the next 10 years, and Medicare Mental Health Centres are playing a key role in improving access to appropriate care,” she said.

“Many people experience mental health challenges. This centre will ensure any resident can walk in and receive support, without a referral and at no cost.

“SWSPHN is pleased to see the opening of a second Medicare Mental Health Centre in our region, at this site in Campbelltown which is easily accessible by public transport and newly fitted out to meet the needs of our community.

“We’re also looking forward to again working closely with experienced mental health service provider Grand Pacific Health, which delivers SWSPHN-funded headspace centres at Oran Park, Edmondson Park and Liverpool, and Medicare Mental Health Centres across four other sites in NSW.”

Grand Pacific Health Chief Executive Officer, Adam Philips, said his organisation was thrilled to be able to continue supporting the Campbelltown region.

“This is the fifth Medicare Mental Health Centre we’ve launched,” he said. “We really believe in the model of care and look forward to offering integrated, wrap around care for anyone who comes through the door.”

Campbelltown is the second Medicare Mental Health Centre site in South Western Sydney.

It complements the SWSPHN-funded Liverpool Medicare Mental Health Centre at 203 Northumberland Street, Liverpool which opened in 2023. In the last financial year alone, the Liverpool centre provided support to more than 800 people.

Access support from Campbelltown Medicare Mental Health Centre

The Campbelltown Medicare Mental Health Centre is at Suite 5.05, 8 Dumaresq Street, Campbelltown.

People who need support, can drop into the centre on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9am to 5pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11am to 7pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 3pm.

People who are not able to visit the centre in person can call 1800 595 212 to speak to an experienced professional to receive advice or a referral to a service which meets their needs, from 8.30am to 5pm weekdays (except public holidays).

Access more information and mental health resources

Find out more about Medicare Mental Health Centres in South Western Sydney on the SWSPHN website.

Find digital mental health resources from trusted providers on the Medicare Mental Health website

Pictured cutting the ribbon, from left, Sally Quinnell, Rose Jackson, Emma McBride, Darcy Lound, Anne Stanley, Michael Freelander and Amy Prince.

26 September 2025

The Connect for Life Photography Exhibition showcases the powerful work of nine artists who bring lived experience of suicide to their creative expression.

Each artist participated in an eight-week peer support and therapeutic photography program, creating a safe and supportive environment where participants connected, shared their stories and developed new skills in creative expression.

This exhibition forms parts of a broader suicide prevention and awareness campaign which centres the insights and wisdom of those with lived experience. Its goal is to challenge myths and transform harmful narratives which surround suicide in our society.

Official opening event: Thursday, 16 October 2025 | 5pm to 8pm

Join an evening featuring:

live music by local artists Ella’s Holiday
panel discussion with program participants and suicide prevention professionals
viewing of the complete exhibition

Exhibition details

where: Moss Vale Civic Centre Atrium (parking available on Donkin Avenue)
opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm, Saturday, 9am to 12pm

The exhibition will remain open throughout the month of October for those unable to attend the opening event.

This project was made possible through funding from SWSPHN and implemented by Folkal and Ironbark Therapy.

26 September 2025

We’re all encouraged to celebrate taking steps on our wellbeing journey during Mental Health Month in October. 

Mental Health Month is held each year to encourage all of us to think about our mental health and wellbeing, regardless of whether we may have a lived experience of mental illness or not. 

It also gives us the opportunity to understand the importance of good mental health in our everyday lives, encourages help-seeking behaviours and fosters a supportive environment where people feel empowered to ask for help when needed. 

This year’s theme, Taking Steps on Your Wellbeing Journey, is about identifying the steps people can take to improve their mental health and wellbeing, while recognising progress isn’t always straightforward. The journey may include side steps or steps back, and that’s okay.

Visit the Wayahead website

5 Ways to Wellbeing 

The 5 Ways to Wellbeing are five simple and effective ways to improve your psychological and emotional health. A healthy mind is just as important as a healthy body for your overall wellbeing.

Like physical fitness, you can strengthen your psychological health in lots of small day-to-day ways. This will help you live a happier and a longer life as well as help you to cope with stress. 

Everyone can ‘try the 5’ at home, work or during study. Connect, Be Active, Keep Learning, Be Aware, Help Others.

Visit the 5 ways website

Our region, our services 

In South Western Sydney, one in five people experience mental ill health in a 12-month period. 

SWSPHN funds a range of mental health services to support those in our community impacted by mental health concerns. These services have been co-designed with our local community and service providers to meet the specific needs of South Western Sydney. 

Services include: 

Medicare Mental Health Centres, where adults can access free and confidential mental health information, services and supports from multidisciplinary care teams over extended hours. A new centre is opening later this month in Campbelltown and will complement the existing Liverpool centre. 

headspace, free or low-cost support for young people aged 12 to 25 years for their mental health, physical and sexual health, alcohol and other drugs, and work and study. We fund centres at Bankstown, Campbelltown, Liverpool, Edmondson Park and Oran Park.

NewAccess, a confidential guided six-session mental health coaching program designed to provide the skills to manage life stresses such as work, study, relationships, health or loneliness. NewAccess is free for residents in South Western Sydney.

Visit our website to find out more about our services

17 September 2025

SWSPHN proudly hosted its ninth annual Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Roundtable, Stronger Together: Collaborative Pathways for Co-Morbidity Care, on Wednesday, 4 September, bringing together senior staff from services across the region to discuss ways to strengthen integrated care in the sector.

Facilitated by Sharon Pedersen, the roundtable highlighted the importance of collaboration and shared knowledge in addressing complex needs within the community.

The day began with a powerful lived experience story followed by a presentation from Kate Whitney, on behalf of Hello Sunday Morning, an Australian not-for-profit dedicated to helping people change their relationship with alcohol.

*Sally Boardman presenting on behalf of The Matilda Centre.*

Participants then heard from Sally Boardman of The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, who shared evidence-based insights into comorbidity guidelines and strategies for improving service partnerships.

After a networking lunch, SWSPHN’s HealthPathways and Planning Coordinator, Nicole Gonzaga, presented findings from the recent Local Health Forum, which focused on shaping the future of alcohol and other drugs support in the region.

The afternoon session concluded with a presentation from Simone Angus-Carr, a representative from the Ted Noffs Foundation, Australia’s largest provider of drug treatment services for young people.

Acting Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs Manager, Pritika Desai, said the event was a valuable opportunity to strengthen connections and share knowledge across the sector.

“SWSPHN would like to thank all guest speakers and participants for contributing to a day of collaboration and learning,” she said.

“The roundtable continues to serve as a vital platform for building stronger partnerships to support those living with both mental health and substance use challenges.”

Find out more about alcohol and other drugs services in South Western Sydney

22 August 2025

The first round of Mental Health First Aid for Vietnamese communities wrapped up in Cabramatta on Wednesday, 13 August.

The 12-hour training was split over four sessions led by peer worker at Towards Zero Suicide/South Western Sydney Local Health District, Tam Nguyen.

SWSPHN funded the training under the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Bilateral Schedule.

Attendees included Vietnamese carers, volunteers and community members with an interest in mental health who are living in South Western Sydney.

Participants said the course made them feel more “confident when talking to and supporting people going through mental health challenges” and more informed on “where to find help”.

SWSPHN Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Coordinator, Luisa Dematos, joined the group on their final day for lunch where they shared a tasty Vietnamese meal and talked through their key takeaways from the course.

The training was supported by the Vietnamese Australian Welfare Association and held at the Cabravale Senior Citizens Centre.

The next course is planned for October and will be delivered in Bankstown area.

Vietnamese families, carers and other community members who have an interest in mental health education/information are welcome to attend. Email minhtam.nguyen@health.nsw.gov.au to register for the session.

SWSPHN-funded Mental Health First Aid for Vietnamese communities was a success with participants saying they now feel ‘more confident when talking to and supporting people going through mental health challenges’.