Young people in Katherine will soon have greater access to mental health support with new funding from the Federal Government helping establish a new headspace service in the region.
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The Federal Government will invest more than $1.3 million to establish this new service in Katherine.
The arrival of headspace in Katherine was announced last year.
The new services will include a range of activities for early intervention support to young people aged between 12 and 25 years who are facing mental health challenges.
The new headspace centre is in response to a strong community need for this type of service.
Katherine has been identified as an area of high need, with high rates of reported psychological distress among young people and significantly higher youth suicide rates across the Northern Territory
The new service will have a focus on providing support to young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who make up about 60 per cent of young people in the Katherine region.
Anglicare NT has been selected to run the new service, which is expected to open its doors later this year.
We want to ensure that young Australians have access to appropriate mental health support, including early intervention treatment.
Services like headspace are often that critical first step in getting the right support, at the right time, and we am sure these new headspace services will make a real difference in the Katherine community.
Under the Strengthening Mental Health Care in Australia measure, the Federal Government is establishing an additional ten new headspace services, particularly in rural and regional locations, to the overall total to 110 by 2019.
The Government is continuing to build on record levels of investment in mental health services recently announcing an additional $110 million to extend and expand mental health programs for young Australians.
This included an additional $30 million for the headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation, allowing it to provide further support to Primary Health Networks in commissioning headspace services
Until the service in Katherine is operational, young people who are concerned about their mental health or the mental health of their families or friends can access the eheadspace service at www.eheadspace.org.au or on 1800 650 890.
Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
