The Morrison Government has announced that it will be investing an additional $26 million in headspace services to ensure that young people can access mental health services where and when they need them.
The additional funding will help headspace services that are experiencing high demand across the country to:
- Expand services, improving access to high-quality, youth-friendly mental health support.
- Refurbish, expand, or relocate headspace facilities to increase service capacity and make them more welcoming.
- Deliver new strategies such as triage and a walk-in single session approach, workforce training, and access to more group activities.
Headspace provides free or low-cost youth-friendly support in four key areas:
- Mental health;
- Related physical health;
- Substance misuse;
- Social and vocational support.
It offers a safe, welcoming place where young people can get professional help and peer support, so they can tackle their challenges in a way that is right for them.
40 headspaces services located in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory will benefit from grants of up to $1.8 million each.
The grants are reportedly part of the Government’s $152 million investment in the headspace Demand Management and Enhancement Program, to reduce wait times and make capital improvements.
Additionally, the Government has reportedly allocated $278.6 million in the 2021–22 Budget, as part of their investment of $2.3 billion National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan, to further expand and enhance the national headspace network.
Ten new headspace centres will be developed, and five headspace satellites will be upgraded to full headspace centres, bringing the total number of headspace services across Australia to 164.
These investments are expected to ensure better social and health outcomes for young Australians, giving them the opportunity to reach their full potential in life.
The funding is said to reinforce the Government’s strong commitment to achieving better mental health for all Australians and will complement the existing investment of $6.5 billion in mental health services in 2021-22.
Anyone experiencing distress can seek immediate advice and support through headspace (headspace.org.au/eheadspace/), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), Beyond Blue (1300 224 636), Lifeline (13 11 14), or the Government’s digital mental health gateway, Head to Health (headtohealth.gov.au).
