A New mental health and wellbeing service for northcote

We know how important it is for Victorians – sons, daughters, parents, friends and workmates – to be able to get the mental health support they need in their own community.

The system has for too long been too difficult to navigate – which is why it’s vital to provide a ‘front door’ to the mental health system with free and accessible help before people reach a crisis point.

We’re delivering every recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System and we’ve invested more than $6 billion in the system in the past three budgets alone, but we know there’s more to do.

The Royal Commission recommended the establishment of 50-60 local mental health services across the state to ensure mental health support is accessible close to home, no matter where you live.

The first six Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals in Benalla, Brimbank, Frankston, Greater Geelong, the Latrobe Valley and Whittlesea are now open – and work is already underway on another 21 in Ararat, Bairnsdale, Ballarat, Bendigo, Craigieburn, Dandenong, Echuca, Hamilton, Horsham, Lilydale, Melbourne, Melton, Mildura, Orbost, Portland, Ringwood, Shepparton, Sunbury, Truganina, Warrnambool, and Werribee.

But we’ll do more – a re-elected Andrews Labor Government will invest $67 million to deliver new Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals in Narre Warren, Northcote and Leongatha and a further $10 million will begin planning for another 20 services across the state – bringing the total number of services underway to 50.

The planning work will be the first step towards the 20 services in Altona, Castlemaine, Coburg, Colac, Cranbourne, Diamond Creek, Footscray, Glen Waverley, Heidelberg, Malvern, Officer, Richmond, Robinvale, Sale, Sandringham, St Kilda, Swan Hill, Torquay, Warragul and Wodonga.

As a key recommendation of the Royal Commission, the walk-in services provide free, easy-to-access care and support for adults who are experiencing mental health concerns or psychological distress, as well as treatment for alcohol and drug addiction.

They will remove barriers that many Victorians face when they need treatment and connect them to support – without making them jump through hoops like a GP referral or meeting eligibility criteria.

As we work to completely transform our mental health system, we also need more trained and highly-qualified mental health workers to support Victorians.

To ensure Victorians get the care they need, a re-elected Labor Government will set an ambitious target of doubling the mental health workforce by 2031, from 8,700 to 17,400 full-time equivalent workers.

This will add to the more than 2,500 mental health jobs we have created in the past two years, giving Victorians more access to psychiatrists, psychologists, peer support workers and mental health nurses. It will also deliver important training for mental health workers to provide targeted support in multicultural communities.

The remaining Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals will be operational by 2026 – ensuring every Victorian can get the support they need, close to home.

Only Labor will implement every single one of the Royal Commission’s recommendations. You can’t trust Matthew Guy’s Liberals – they’ve said they’ll cut the Mental Health Levy, which means the services it funds and jobs it creates will be cut too.

Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

“We’re doing what matters and building a new mental health system from the ground up. These local services will support early intervention, ensuring every Victorian can access quality mental health care closer to home.”

“Victorians shouldn’t have to travel hours away from their own communities and support networks just to get the help they need. These local services will ensure they won’t.”

Quotes attributable to Acting Minister for Mental Health Colin Brooks

“You can’t trust Matthew Guy’s Liberals on mental health – they want to cut the $3.7 billion mental health levy, which would leave thousands of vulnerable Victorians without the services they desperately need.”

“Only Labor is boosting the mental health workforce and providing more targeted support for our multicultural communities.”