Mental health Archives | Page 4 of 22 | South Western Sydney PHN

10 December 2024

Two new service providers are now delivering South Western Sydney PHN’s Clinical Suicide Prevention Service. This improves access to appropriate, safe, and timely clinical care for people at low-to-moderate risk of suicide following a suicide attempt or experiencing a suicidal crisis.

Community Links Wellbeing is providing services in Wollondilly and Wingecarribee Shires. One Door Mental Health is delivering services in Camden, Campbelltown, Liverpool, Fairfield, and Bankstown local government areas. This follows a period of transition from former provider Grand Pacific Health.

Who can access the service?

The Clinical Suicide Prevention Service provides free psychological therapies for people who:

have continued suicidal ideation after discharge from acute services
present at a GP clinic after a suicide attempt
present to a GP with persistent suicidal ideation

Patients require a referral from either a GP or one of South Western Sydney Local Health District’s mental health teams to access the service.

How to refer patients

GPs can refer their patients to the service by contacting SWSPHN’s Mental Health Central Intake. Visit the SWSPHN Central Intake page for more information on how to refer your patients.

About the service providers

Community Links Wellbeing is a not-for-profit community organisation working across Camden, Wollondilly, and Wingecarribee. It supports locals through community development, events, groups, workshops, youth programs, crisis support, carer support, family support, allied health, and mental health services.

One Door Mental Health is a leading mental health provider. It specialises in anxiety and depression, as well as severe and persistent mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychosis, schizoaffective disorder, and borderline personality disorder.

A message from the CEO

South Western Sydney PHN CEO, Dr Keith McDonald PhD, said the Clinical Suicide Prevention Service had provided accessible and sensitive individual psychological therapy services across the region since July 2017.

Dr McDonald thanked Grand Pacific Health for its commitment to delivering the service over the past almost two years. He also welcomed Community Links Wellbeing and One Door Mental Health as the new service providers.

“This service aims to help clients through the healing process with supports appropriate to their need,” Dr McDonald said. “This might include identifying treatment goals, safety planning, psychological therapy, or referrals to longer-term services if needed.

“We’re looking forward to working with Community Links Wellbeing and One Door Mental Health to ensure this service continues to provide effective and efficient care. This will help meet the urgent needs of people in our community at risk of suicide.”

If you, or someone you know, is having suicidal thoughts, talking about self-harm, or is noticeably in serious distress, call Triple Zero (000). Alternatively, contact the NSW Mental Health Access Line on 1800 011 511.

Find out more about the Clinical Suicide Prevention Service.

13 November 2024

Local mental health programs highlighted at SWSPHN symposium

South Western Sydney PHN hosted its biennial Mental Health Symposium at Campbelltown Arts Centre on Friday, 1 November 2024.

The symposium showcased innovative mental health initiatives, programs, and support services tailored to address community needs across the region.

Adam Holstein, disability and mental health advocate and founder of “How You Going Mate?”, emceed the event. His initiative encourages people to check in on friends and family, and his podcast has over 1,700 listeners.

Acknowledgement of country

The event opened with an acknowledgment of country by Gomeroi man Raymond Weatherall. They shared stories of his childhood and explained the important role of connection to land and culture in mental wellbeing.

Keynote speakers and event highlights

The symposium featured two keynote speakers, Dr Evelyne Tadros, CEO of the Mental Health Coordinating Council, and Bronwen Edwards, CEO of Roses in the Ocean.

Dr Tadros discussed the urgent need for collaborative workforce strategies in mental health, advocating for flexible outcome measures and funding reforms which allow programs time to achieve standards.

“The next steps are joint workforce strategy and flexibility of using outcomes and trying to get consistency and how outcome measures are used,” she said. “I’m advocating for a year of preparatory work in new funding arrangements to meet mental health standards effectively.”

Bronwen Edwards highlighted the essential role of people with lived/living experiences in suicide prevention. They stressed the need to integrate their insights into mental health support frameworks.

“People with a lived/living experience of suicide really couldn’t see their voice anywhere, and the type of help available simply wasn’t being informed by people who have walked in those shoes,” she said.

“When you look at the overarching reform needed in suicide prevention, we needed to hear from people who knew what it was like to get to the point where they just did not feel like there was another option to escape from their ache and pain they were experiencing.”

“It is really important we have the right voices at the table. You could fill this whole room with people who have made attempts on their lives, and you will have a whole room full of different stories.”

Networking and peer support

Following the keynote addresses, attendees networked over morning tea and visited informational stalls. Stalls included South Western Sydney headspace services, Community Links Wellbeing, Safehaven, SWSLHD, Lifeline Macarthur, One Door Mental Health, Peer Care Companion and Wellways Carer Gateway.

Chris Grumley, Team Coordinator Peer Specialist at Flourish Australia, spoke on the impact of peer support roles in mental health.

“Connection is really the keystone in which we do all of our work. It’s about meaningful, purposeful, human connections which we built with people,” he said.

“It is really important to understand peer work can appear in a lot of different places in a lot of different ways, and we are now integrated into all levels of the processes of all levels of organisations.”

Key mental health topics

The Mental Health Symposium offered six focused sessions covering a range of key topics, including:

Supporting Recovery Program, presented by Karen Triggs, Anglicare Sydney and Hitika Bhatia, CatholicCare Sydney
Tackling the Challenge, presented by A/Prof Neil Hall, Western Sydney University and Tessa Bayrante, South Western Sydney Local Health District
Indigenous wellbeing practices, presented by Jeff Hardy, a wellbeing coach and mentor
Best practice interventions for eating disorders, presented by Bronwyn Scott of the National Eating Disorders Collaboration and Rebecca White of South Western Sydney Local Health District
Regional initiatives in suicide prevention, presented by Filipe Gama e Silva from Mentoring Men and Micheal Collins from The Men’s Table
Gambling trends in South Western Sydney and mental health impact, presented by Dr Kate da Costa from Wesley Mission

Final thoughts on mental wellbeing

Later during lunch, organisers encouraged attendees to support men’s mental health by posing behind the Movember photo frame.

In the afternoon session, Veronique Jordaan and Jess Chadwick from Neami National presented on Head to Health. A panel discussion followed, focusing on mental health, substance misuse, and societal influences on wellbeing.

Adam Holstein closed the Mental Health Symposium with a reminder to prioritise self-care and mental wellbeing.

Learn more about SWSPHN-funded primary mental health and suicide prevention services.

31 October 2024

For victims of family, domestic or sexual violence the trauma doesn’t end once the immediate crisis is resolved, and many have a long journey of recovery ahead of them.

The Supporting Recovery from Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Program aims to address the critical need for comprehensive support services for victim-survivors of family, domestic and sexual violence in South Western Sydney.

Tragically, there were about 5,200 domestic violence-related assault offences across South Western Sydney from July 2022 to June 2023, with Campbelltown, Liverpool and Fairfield having the highest representation.

South Western Sydney Primary Health Network (SWSPHN) has been funded by the Department of Health and Aged Care to deliver the pilot program, which aims to fill a gap in services and ensure the thousands of people affected by domestic violence-related assault in our region have every support they need to get back on their feet.

There are two components to the service.

Anglicare and CatholicCare began delivering mental health support in May, and SWSPHN has now commissioned The Benevolent Society to provide the Local Care Team (LCT) component, beginning in November.

The LCT’s role is to help clients coordinate and manage their recovery journey, and connect them with services such as legal, financial and housing supports; trained psychologists, social workers and counsellors who specialise in providing trauma-informed and client-centred mental healthcare.

The LCT will focus on receiving referrals, providing case and care management to victim-survivors, and referring them to necessary social services, including psychological therapies.

It will also continue to support existing clients if they find themselves in crisis situations throughout their recovery journey in recognition of the fact that recovery is not linear, and that victim-survivors may continue to experience different forms of violence even after receiving support.

The holistic, culturally appropriate service is available at no cost for a period up to two years for each client.

SWSPHN Chief Executive Officer, Dr Keith McDonald PhD, said commissioning the LCT service was an important step in ensuring better outcomes for victim-survivors of violence.

“I congratulate The Benevolent Society for taking on the role of offering our community this much-needed service. Such ongoing support will help the people of South Western Sydney to create a better, safer life for themselves and their families,’’ he said.

The Benevolent Society’s Centre for Women’s, Children’s and Family Health will facilitate the LCT service in the Campbelltown, Liverpool and Fairfield local government areas. The centre has provided integrated support services to women, children and families since 1994.

The Benevolent Society Chief Executive Officer, Lin Hatfield Dodds, said access to ongoing supports was critical for victim-survivors as they worked towards healing and recovery.

“The Supporting Recovery from Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Program is about providing trauma-informed long-term recovery care,” she said.

“The Benevolent Society is proud to be the Local Care Team service provider to help coordinate access to support services for victim-survivors in South Western Sydney. Our staff have strong local community ties, and we remain committed to supporting their health, wellbeing and healing.”

Find out more about Supporting Recovery

23 October 2024

South Western Sydney PHN (SWSPHN) staff including CEO, Dr Keith McDonald PhD, joined stakeholders and community for the official launch of headspace Edmondson Park at Ed Square on Wednesday, 16 October.

The gathering of about 100 people was excited to welcome the opening of the 163^rd headspace.

headspace provides young people aged 12 to 25 and their families and friends with support for their mental health, physical and sexual health, work and study goals, as well as assistance with alcohol and other drugs.

SWSPHN has commissioned Grand Pacific Health as the Lead Agency to operate headspace Edmondson Park. All headspace centres are funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.

Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Emma McBride (pictured second from left) and Werriwa MP Anne Stanley (pictured second from right) joined the day’s celebration.

In addressing the gathering, Minister McBride acknowledged and thanked those with lived or living experience of mental ill-health for their generous contribution to improving services like headspace and systems of care for people around the country.

She also acknowledged her friend and colleague, Anne Stanley.

“It’s [Anne Stanley’s] advocacy and working alongside the young people of your community and service providers which has made today possible,” she said.

“Our government has invested close to $1.5 million for the establishment of your local headspace in Ed Park and I can’t think of a better location – right across from the train station, very close to local high schools. It’s really convenient and accessible for young people to visit.”

Dr McDonald (pictured back right) congratulated headspace National and Grand Pacific Health on the opening of the centre saying it was a pleasure to be commissioning services like headspace Edmondson Park in such a busy area.

“Location of services like headspace at a central point for the youth of this region is critical to supporting their development, in areas from wellness and social advice, through to issues like mental health, sexual health, alcohol and other drug concerns,” he said.

“South Western Sydney is one of the fastest growing areas in the country, and we know that 21 per cent of the population of Edmondson Park are in the age range for this service. This is a critical service at the right time.”

The gathering also heard from headspace National Clinical Manager, Multicultural Practice, Ali Rahman, Grand Pacific Health, Executive Manager, Primary Health, Jenny Valdivia and Youth Reference Group (YRG) member, Leo (pictured centre), who made a passionate presentation about how headspace had supported him in his recovery from mental ill-health.

“I was once nothing more than a struggling teenager who couldn’t see a future,” Leo told the gathering.

“With the help of headspace, I’ve become a healthy young adult. Having a safe space like headspace is a something that redefined my teenage years and made me become the best version of myself. It has allowed me and others to have a place away from the many pressures of being a young person.”

Leo said young people should have easy access to mental health services because it helped shape the young minds of our future.

“Mental health help is something that makes all the difference,” he said.

“I became a member of the YRG because I wanted to give back to a place that had helped me so much. My hope for our new Edmondson Park location is that we can help as many young people as we can and provide a safe space for those who are struggling.”

The launch also included Raymond’s Smoking Ceremony and Welcome to Country, the official ribbon cutting ceremony, service tours and a barbecue lunch manned by headspace staff.

headspace Edmondson Park is at Shop AG02 Edmondson Square, 52 Soldiers Parade, Edmondson Park.

The site complements other SWSPHN-funded youth specific mental health services in our region including headspace Campbelltown, Liverpool and Bankstown, and ReFrame in the Wollondilly and Wingecarribee Shires.

To access the service, young people can drop into their local headspace centre, or phone to make an appointment, without a doctor’s referral.

Find out more about headspace on SWSPHN’s website.

30 September 2024

October is Mental Health Month, a chance for everyone to come together to focus on mental health, learn about stigma and create safe, caring communities.

Mental Health Month urges us to understand the importance of good mental health in our everyday lives and encourages help-seeking behaviours when needed.

The theme for this year, “Let’s Talk About It,” encourages us to consider our mental health and overall well-being, regardless of our personal experiences with mental illness.

This Mental Health Month, think about ways you can connect with the people around you. Whether it is taking time to care for yourself, caring for someone close to you, supporting your community to be more mental health aware, or being a mental health community ally, making a world free from mental health stigma and more inclusive for people who are going through tough times takes all of us!

In South Western Sydney one in six people have experienced mental ill health in a 12-month period, compared to one in seven people in NSW. One in five people in South Western Sydney report having high or very high psychological distress, a higher rate compared to NSW with one in six people.

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

You can access help with these services:

Visit our website to find out more about our services

24 September 2024

Campbelltown Medicare Mental Health Centre

A tender to establish and deliver the Campbelltown Medicare Mental Health Centre (formerly Head to Health) is now open.

Eligible organisations can express their interest to South Western Sydney Primary Health Network until 17 October.

About Medicare Mental Health Centres

Medicare Mental Health Centres deliver evidence-informed, person-centred, recovery-oriented and cost-effective mental health services, aligned with a stepped care approach, for adults who may be experiencing moderate to high levels of distress or crisis.

Procurement overview

South Western Sydney PHN is inviting expressions of interest from organisations to deliver the Campbelltown Medicare Mental Health Centre from 1 January 2025 (implementation) to 30 June 2026.

People requiring support in the local area, or those attending the site, will recognise Campbelltown Medicare Mental Health Centre as an accessible entry point to the mental health care system for the services and information they need.

Through the Campbelltown Medicare Mental Health Centre people will be able to access, or be connected to, specific mental health and related services they are assessed as needing and will receive immediate advice and care which will reduce their level of mental and emotional distress.

Individuals experiencing high levels of psychological distress or in crisis will receive the care they need from the site, resulting in a reduction in the number of non-urgent presentations to local hospital emergency departments.

Procurement timeline

Activity	Date
Notice of Upcoming Tender	19 September 2024
EOI open	23 September 2024
Information session	1 October 2024 at 1pm
Last queries date	14 October 2024 at 5pm
EOI Closing date	17 October 2024 at 5pm
Evaluation period	18 October 2024 – 7 November 2024
Recommendations to SWSPHN Board and Executives	28 November 2024
Successful applicant notified and contract negotiations commence	December 2024
Contract execution	December 2024
Unsuccessful applicants notified	December 2024
Establishment and Embedding Phase	1 January 2025 – 30 September 2025
Full implementation and service delivery commencement	1 October 2025

Information session

An information session will be held online to assist potential respondents in their submission for the Campbelltown Medicare Mental Health Centre expression of interest.

The session will provide an overview of the tender process and requirements, and is an opportunity to address all questions relating to the tender documentation.

Attendees who have accessed the tender documents within SWSPHN’s Tender Portal before the information session may be in a better position to ask and understand information during the session.

Time: 1pm

Date: Tuesday, 1 October 2024

Submissions accepted via Tenderlink

This expression of interest is on SWSPHN’s Tender Portal – Tenderlink: www.tenderlink.com/swsphn  

Interested parties are encouraged to register for SWSPHN’s Tender Portal to ensure they:  

will receive email notifications when new procurement opportunities are published in relevant categories  
can access the online forum to address any questions about the program and procurement process  
can download and view procurement documentation electronically and  
will be able to submit applications through the e-tender box facility

Tenderlink: Welcome to South Western Sydney PHN E-Tendering (tenderlink.com)

Enquiries

Enquiries regarding this notification can be directed to Rachel Silm, SWSPHN Mental Health and Psychosocial Team Lead, by emailing rachel.silm@swsphn.com.au

06 September 2024

South Western Sydney PHN’s Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Roundtable 8 brought together experts, service providers and community members at Rydges Campbelltown on Thursday, 29 August.

The 51 participants discussed integrated care and strategies for better mental health and AOD services in South Western Sydney.

This year’s keynote speaker, David Kelly, Executive Director of Programs at Odyssey House NSW, spoke about the importance of fostering partnerships and creating integrated strategies to bridge the gap between mental health and AOD services.

MH & AOD Roundtable 8 keynote speaker, David Kelly

Mr Kelly said individuals couldn’t change the service system but “we can definitely change how we work together as services, and we can definitely change how we work with individuals”.

Mr Kelly emphasised the importance of providing clients with holistic care.

“Integrated care is not just working with people’s mental health concerns and drug and alcohol concerns; integrated care is also working with housing and homelessness and working to manage the responses to trauma, cognitive impairment, family domestic and sexual violence and justice systems,” he said.

He highlighted the complexity of care required for individuals facing both mental health and substance use issues, saying 76 per cent of people in Odyssey House’s residential rehabilitation programs had a mental health concern.

“A lot of people will say the main problem is drug and alcohol services won’t take people with a mental health concern and mental health services won’t take people with a drug and alcohol concern, and sometimes it’s true,” he said.

“But Odyssey House always take people with a mental health concern.”

The roundtable’s discussion section highlighted challenges in the current service system’s state of integration.

“I think it is important for us in both the mental health and AOD sectors to build relationships with communities, identify or recognise the general service access points for consumers or those who are living in the community and where they can go for support,” one attendee said.

“I also think by having their input, we are not only treating the problem but preventing it from happening in the future.”

The event also featured a panel of experts discussing integrated practices and what good care looks like.

“It’s not the drug and alcohol problem or the mental health problem,” one panellist said.

“They might be parts of the overall story, but we want to hear the whole context, the whole story, you as a person, what do you enjoy doing, where do you feel the happiest, tell me about your support network.

“It shows we’re listening to them and their whole story, not just a little snippet or a chapter.

“It’s really important for the service to be safe for the specific community, knowing who they are around, not just copying and pasting other services.”

Throughout the day, we heard from many other speakers addressing issues such as vaping and changes to laws in Australia, SWSPHN Opioid Dependence Treatment grants, and Fairfield Health Alliance Gambling Harm Screening Tool Project.

Participants also heard from those with a lived experience, who shared insights into the importance of incorporating voices from those directly impacted by the system.

Find out more about SWSPHN mental health services and SWSPHN alcohol and other drugs services.

02 September 2024

South Western Sydney PHN’s Mental Health Symposium 2024 will highlight a range of innovative local programs, initiatives and supports to address the needs faced within South Western Sydney as we work towards improved mental health outcomes.

Hear about practical approaches in the areas of:

Suicide prevention
Men’s health
Peer workforce within mental health
Engaging men with mental health services
Indigenous wellbeing practices that improve mental health
Understanding mental health and substance misuse
Eating disorders
Family, sexual and domestic violence
Mental health and comorbidity

Please note: due to fixed seating capacity, registrations are limited to a maximum of three people per organisation.

There is an additional opportunity for organisations to hold information stalls at the event and share their details with other symposium attendees. Stall numbers are limited, and further details can be found and downloaded in the Expression of Interest (EOI) document below.

Emcee Adam Holstein

Adam Holstein is a disability and mental health professional with over 25 years’ experience in the community sector. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from Western Sydney University and holds qualifications in Disability and Management.

Adam has worked in a variety of roles including being a front line staff member supporting people with a disability and people who are living with a mental health condition. Most recently he has been working as a trainer for a registered training organisation that focuses on the disability sector. Adam is also an emcee and retail spruiker as well as being a husband, father and avid sports and music buff.

In 2017, Adam started a mental health and suicide awareness initiative called “How you going mate?”. The aim of the initiative is to encourage people to check in on their friends and family who are managing a mental health issue. We call this Active Support for Mental Health. Adam also produces and hosts a podcast about mental health also called “How you going mate?” that he started in 2019 and has had over 17,000 listens and has been listened to all over the world.

Keynote speakers

Dr Evelyne Tadros

During the course of her career, Evelyne’s work has benefited thousands of individuals and families by developing and implementing a range of quality homelessness, mental health, housing, drug and alcohol, disability, child, youth and employment programs.

Evelyne brings a wealth of governance, compliance and leadership experience from her role as former Chair Homelessness NSW and current position as CEO, Mental Health Coordinating Council.

Evelyne said “I am fuelled by my desire to make a difference and passionate and committed to sustainably empower individuals to thrive and flourish. This in turn will boost community managed organisations and the work they do to support people with lived experience of mental health conditions.”

Bronwen Edwards

CEO, Bronwen Edwards founded Roses in the Ocean in 2011 following the suicide of her brother Mark a few years earlier.

A fierce advocate for the development of lived experience designed and led, non-clinical alternatives to care, Bronwen is passionate about empowering others with a lived experience of suicide to contribute their unique insights to its prevention. She strives to keep her feet in the grassroots, her head in the strategic influencing space, and her heart very much on her sleeve.

Bronwen is a personal trainer in the wee hours of some mornings, just for fun, and loves escaping to her favourite beach and travelling to interesting places.

Event details

Date: Friday, 1 November 2024
Time: 9am to 3:30pm (Registrations start from 8.30am)

Location:
Campbelltown Arts Centre
1 Art Gallery Road
Campbelltown NSW 2560

Registration closing date and RSVP: 18 October 2024

Attendee numbers: maximum 150
Please note: due to fixed seating capacity, registrations will be limited to a maximum of three people per organisation.

Cost: free
Lunch and light snacks included.

Download event documents

Download Event Flyer

Download Stallholder Expression of Interest information

Download Program

Plan your trip

Public transport

Campbelltown Arts Centre is about a 17-20 minute walk from Campbelltown Train Station. You can catch a bus from the station to Hurley Street, at Koshigaya Park where it will take approximately 3 minutes to walk to the Art Centre. Visit transportnsw.info to plan your trip, or download a Transport NSW travel app.

Driving

Free parking is available onsite and near the venue.

Need to contact us?

Luke Swain, Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator
Email: luke.swain@swsphn.com.au
Ph: 4632 3011

Kate Johnson, Mental Health & AOD Team Lead
Email: kate.johnson@swsphn.com.au
Ph: 4632 3073

30 August 2024

Young people seeking mental health support can find it at the region’s newest headspace centre which opened in Edmondson Park today (Friday, 30 August).

The centre will provide young people aged 12 to 25 and their families and friends with support for their mental health, physical and sexual health, work and study goals, as well as assistance with alcohol and other drugs.

South Western Sydney Primary Health Network (SWSPHN) is funding the centre which is being operated by Grand Pacific Health.

SWSPHN Chief Executive Officer, Dr Keith McDonald PhD, welcomed the opening of headspace Edmondson Park, and congratulated Grand Pacific Health on their achievement in establishing the centre.

“The service was designed with young people, and their families and friends, in mind. It will offer invaluable support to young people in our region.”

Dr McDonald said SWSPHN was pleased to be able to facilitate and fund services like headspace which improved access to mental health services in our region.

“This is a wonderful new chapter for the youth of our region and recognises their importance in our future,” he said.

Grand Pacific Health is a recognised health service provider which is currently the lead agency for seven headspace centres across NSW, including a centre at Liverpool.

Executive Manager Jenny Valdivia said Grand Pacific Health was dedicated to ensuring young people had access to vital mental health support.

“The opening of headspace Edmondson Park marks a crucial step in bridging gaps in youth services across South Western Sydney,” she said.

“We are proud to offer a welcoming and supportive environment, helping our young community thrive.”

headspace CEO Jason Trethowan highlighted the significance of the new facility for youth mental health in the community.

“Nearly two in five young people in Australia aged 16 to 24 have experienced a mental health disorder in the previous year,” he said.

“That’s why the work happening at headspace Edmondson Park, and at headspace centres across the country, is so important.

“Providing young people with a place where they can get friendly and inclusive mental health services is at the core of all we do at headspace.

“Young people are amazing and, with support from organisations like headspace, they can and do weather tough times to get back on track.”

To access the service, young people can drop into their local headspace centre, or phone to make an appointment, without a doctor’s referral.

The Edmondson Park centre will complement other SWSPHN-funded youth specific mental health services including headspace Campbelltown, Liverpool and Bankstown, and ReFrame in the Wollondilly and Wingecarribee Shires.

headspace Edmondson Park is at Shop AG02 Edmondson Square, 52 Soldiers Parade, Edmondson Park.

Visit the headspace website.

28 August 2024

People struggling with their mental health will soon have access to free, walk-in support, with the Australian Government’s announcement a new Medicare Mental Health Centre will be established in Campbelltown.

Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Emma McBride, announced plans for the Campbelltown centre, one of four new Medicare Mental Health Centres in NSW, on Friday, 16 August.

Minister McBride said:

“The struggles of day-to-day life are placing increasing pressure on people and demand on our services which is why we are pleased to announce an additional four locations in NSW: Blacktown, Campbelltown, Broken Hill and Central Darling in Western NSW”.

Medicare Mental Health Centres provide on-the-spot support for people in distress and ongoing care for more complex mental health needs.

The centres are staffed by multidisciplinary care teams, including social workers, nurses and peer support workers, who provide wraparound support and care across extended hours.

The Government invested an additional $29.9 million in the May budget to boost specialist care at the centres, providing access to psychologists and psychiatrists on call for every centre.

The Campbelltown centre, which is expected to open in the second half of next year, will be one of two in South Western Sydney.

The Liverpool Head to Health Centre opened last year. It will transition to a Medicare Mental Health Centre before the end of 2024. The new name will not impact on the services currently available at the centre.

South Western Sydney PHN (SWSPHN) will commission a new service provider to deliver the service locally. The service provider will consult with, and co-design the new service with the local community.

SWSPHN Chief Executive Officer, Dr Keith McDonald PhD, welcomed the announcement, saying the new centre would join the Liverpool site in providing our region’s residents with even greater access to a safe and welcoming space to find the mental health support appropriate for their needs.

“Since July last year 588 people have reached out to the Liverpool Head to Health Centre for support, with 6892.5 hours of support provided. This reflects the very real need for this kind of service in our region,” he said.

“Medicare Mental Health Centres deliver free, easy-to-access, quality mental healthcare for adults with a short or medium-term need. There’s no need for people using the service to make an appointment, or have a GP referral.”

Federal Macarthur MP, Dr Freelander, said: “The Medicare Mental Health Centre in Campbelltown will be a very welcome addition to the healthcare services available in my community. Getting professional support will help them directly but the benefits will flow through to families, workplaces and the whole community”.