A new and expanded mental health and well-being support hub has opened in Ballarat, giving locals the care and support they need on their doorstep, thanks to the Victorian Government.

Parliamentary Secretary for Mental Health Steve Dimopoulos today opened the new Cooinda Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub, which will provide an array of health and social services including children’s assessments, counselling, and family violence support.

Ballarat Community Health was allocated $3.3 million for the new Hub in 2017, as part of a $9.8 million package to boost community health services across the state, with $5.8 million allocated for regional Victoria to provide support and treatment for people who may otherwise miss out.

The opening was followed by a Ballarat Region Mental Health Roundtable which gave the region’s mental health and community service providers an opportunity to speak to the Parliamentary Secretary for Mental Health about the response to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

The Royal Commission acknowledged that mental health services are critically important in regional and rural Victoria, where there are higher rates of psychological distress and suicide.

The Victorian Government has provided a record $3.8 billion to mental health services and support in the Victorian Budget 2021/22 to begin work implementing the recommendations made by the Royal Commission including:

• Up to 60 new local mental health and wellbeing services for adults and older adults
• A mental health and wellbeing system for infants, children and young people providing developmentally appropriate treatment, care, and support.
• Each region will have a Youth Prevention and Recovery Centre for young people 16 to 25 years of age.
• A comprehensive approach to suicide prevention and response, including a focus on early intervention, aftercare and postvention.
• Eight family and carer-led centres, providing information and support to families, carers and supporters and connecting them to services.

Quotes attributable to Parliamentary Secretary for Mental Health Steve Dimopoulos

“We know that mental health can impact all Victorians, no matter where they live. That’s why we’re implementing all the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, to improve access to services across our great state.”

Quote attributable to Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison

“This $3 million investment into mental health services in the heart of Wendouree will provide a broader range of services closer to home. Thank you to everyone at Ballarat Community Health for delivering this important project.”

Quote attributable to Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle

“Access to mental health professionals, wherever you live, is critical, and we are making that happen for our region.”

Quote attributable to Ballarat Community Health CEO Sean Duffy

“BCH is proud of the refurbished Cooinda building which will facilitate the delivery of highly valued services to the local community, and will strengthen the mental health services for our region.”