MORE than $500,000 will be invested at headspace Mount Gambier to boost clinical services and fast-track access to mental health services for young people.
An additional clinical and intake worker will be employed at the facility which is focused on youth health services for 12 to 25 year olds – to help provide brief intervention therapies and staff training.
The $538,468 windfall forms part of the Morrison Government’s $24.2m investment to reduce headspace wait times across the nation, with Mount Gambier centre manager Tasja Barelds saying the funding was valuable to improve the region’s service.
“It is going to go towards addressing some of the demand management issues that we have,” Ms Barelds said.
“What that means on a day-to-day basis is managing the wait list and finding ways to make sure our service is responding to young people in a timely manner, improving the efficiency in our service.”
Ms Barelds said managing demand was an important part of the service, as wait times impacted headspace’s ability to support young people.
“It will give us a lot more scope to explore that area and get our wait list down, so young people do not have to wait as long,” Ms Barelds said.
“Some of the issues that can happen if people wait too long, is things can get worse for that person, or the experience of help seeking is not very positive so they are not likely to return to a service.”
Now more than ever the efficiency of mental health services is crucial, as people begin to process the ramifications of COVID-19.
Ms Barelds said it was too early know the complete impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the region’s youth, but client numbers were starting to grow as restrictions eased, providing a clearer understanding of the situation.
“I think we are only just starting to see the impacts on the lives of young people and their families now,” she said.
“We still have some things to come and to deal with I think – it is not over yet.”
Member for Barker Tony Pasin – who visited the Commercial Street East site earlier this week to discuss the funding said mental health and suicide prevention remained one of the government’s highest priorities, adding the pandemic had a profound impact on young Australians.
“One in four young Australians is affected by a mental health illness every year and as we battle COVID-19 it’s more important than ever that we prioritise mental health,” Mr Pasin said.
Mr Pasin said the investment would ensure young Australians could get information, advice, understanding, counselling and treatment, when and where they need it.
“headspace provides access to free or low cost youth-friendly, primary mental health services with a single entry point to holistic care in four key areas – mental health, related physical health, substance misuse and social and vocational support.”
As has been the case across the globe, the pandemic has forced innovation, with headspace Mount Gambier now offering a virtual service for clients.
“We have been open the whole time in terms of delivery of services, we have just had to adjust our services to cater for phone sessions and screen-to-screen sessions,” Ms Barelds said.
“The engagement level for our phone sessions was very high in the phase where we had to virtually close our centre for most of the in-person stuff.”
A permanent service has been introduced due to the positive response, which will be trialled by headspace Mount Gambier youth worker Jordan Beattie.
“The circumstances were right to engage Jordan in an opportunity like this, so we can trial and explore offering those young people who really will benefit from having phone engagement,” Ms Barelds said.
“That is going to help us really grow and develop our service.”
