Young people in Batemans Bay and surrounding towns including Milton and Ulladulla will soon benefit from access to vital mental health services and support, with a request for proposals now open for a lead agency to establish and run the new headspace service from late 2020.
Dianne Kitcher, CEO of COORDINARE, said that once opened the service will deliver holistic, youth friendly, primary mental health services to young people aged 12-25, and support for their families and friends. “The headspace model is based on early intervention with the knowledge that adolescence and early adulthood is a critical time in a person's life, with research showing that 75 per cent of mental health disorders emerge before the age of 25,” said Ms Kitcher. “By ensuring help is accessed in those early stages, young people can get things back on track and reduce the likelihood of developing a mental illness later in life,” she added. The new headspace service will be one of six centres in South Eastern NSW funded by COORDINARE – South Eastern NSW PHN and will be great news for the region. “The Eurobodalla, along with Milton and Ulladulla, have been identified as a location in high need of specialised youth mental health services,” she said. “Local GPs also identify the lack of local, accessible services for young people, particularly relating to mental health as a key need, so we are delighted that we are now at the point of seeking a lead agency to establish the new headspace service across Batemans Bay and surrounding regions.” Respondents to the request for proposal will be invited to offer new and innovative service delivery methods, and to tailor headspace services to best fit the unique needs and opportunities present in the Eurobodalla and Milton Ulladulla sub-region of the Shoalhaven. “Following our consultation earlier this year with young people, community members and service providers we are confident we understand the mental health needs of local young people and will be able to appoint a lead agency who will best meet these needs,” said Ms Kitcher. For information about the request for proposal go to: www.coordinare.org.au/commissioning/current-opportunities/headspace-batemans-bay/
