Headspace help

By Nicole Williams
YOUNG people in Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia are set to benefit from a new specialised mental health facility centre.
The new Dandenong facility, designed to provide youth-specific services which cover mental health care, drug and alcohol services for young people aged 12 to 25 years old, will also cater for youth from the City of Casey and Cardinia Shire.
State Member for South Eastern Metropolitan Region Inga Peulich and Mental Health Minister Mary Wooldridge welcomed the announcement. “The announcement of a Dandenong facility to benefit Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia youth is welcome by the entire community,” Ms Peulich said. “The new facility will assist in tackling youth depression, which is a common illness. Around 160,000 young people aged 16 to 24 live with depression each year.”
Greater Dandenong Council Community Services Director Mark Doubleday said council were also thrilled with the news.
“Early intervention mental health support for young people in Greater Dandenong is important given the high number of young in the city,” he said.
“It is also important considering the prevalence of stress and other factors that can contribute to mental health conditions.
Council will be working with key agencies to support the development of a Headspace centre in Greater Dandenong.”
Headspace Acting CEO Liz Burgat said the 15 new centres would make a real difference to the lives of young people around Australia.
“Since inception, Headspace has helped more than 50,000 young people overcome mental health problems and the expansion will help headspace reach many more young Australians in need,” said Ms Burgat.
“In many cases it will be the first time young people in these areas will have access to the full range of related mental services offered by headspace in the one place.
“The centres will address clear needs in the each of these communities to support young people on a range of mental health issues.”
The new centres will be open in 2013 and will bring the total number of Australian Headspace centres to 55.
The new centres are part of the $197.3 million funding commitment for headspace announced in the May Federal Budget.