Around 80,000 young Australians will benefit each year from the headspace programme with the locations of 15 new headspace centres now finalised.
Health Minister Peter Dutton said today when the final 15 centres were operating there would a total of 100 headspace sites across the country.
Mr Dutton said there would be five new sites in New South Wales, four each in Queensland and Victoria, and one each in Western Australia and South Australia.
“Eleven of the new headspace centres will be in regional Australia,” Mr Dutton said.
“They will allow more young Australians with mental disorders to receive the help they need to fully recover or better manage their conditions and avoid serious and debilitating conditions later in life.
“As three-quarters of all mental illness presents in people aged under 25 years, the expanded headspace network will help meet the mental health needs of our young people with the centres dealing with up to 80,000 young Australians each year.
“The locations for the new headspace centres were chosen in consultation with the state and territory governments, based on local health needs,” Mr Dutton said.
“This Government made a commitment to provide more mental health services catering for the needs of young Australians, and we are delivering. This meets our election commitment.
“In the 2014-15 Budget, the Government committed an additional $14.9 million to support expansion of the headspace network by 10 centres, bringing the total to 100 across Australia.
“We are also funding a two-year evaluation of the headspace programme to ensure it continues to help vulnerable young people in the most efficient way possible,” he said.
The headspace programme, established by the former Coalition Government, provides nationally coordinated support services to young people aged between 12 and 25 years who have mental health or drug and alcohol problems.
Through this single entry point, young people can receive mental health services or be referred to other services if appropriate. Each centre employs youth workers and mental health professionals who understand the issues facing young Australians.
The new centres will be established in stages over the next two years.
The 15 headspace locations are:
NSW
Griffith – Murrumbidgee (Griffith)
Orange
Sydney – Castle Hill
Broken Hill – Far West (Broken Hill)
Goulburn
QLD
Moreton Bay – north (Caboolture)
Gladstone
Brisbane east (Capalaba)
Bundaberg
VIC
Swan Hill Melbourne – Greensborough
Gippsland East (Bairnsdale)
Grampians (Horsham)
WA
Geraldton
SA
Limestone Coast (Mount Gambier)
Young Australians who do not have convenient access to a headspace centre can use eheadspace website—a free, confidential and anonymous telephone and web-based mental health support service.
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