New Youth Mental Health Centres Coming Soon
Young people experiencing early psychosis will soon have access to new world-leading mental health centres.
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11 August 2012
Young people experiencing early psychosis will soon have access to new world-leading mental health centres, Minister for Mental Health Mark Butler said today.
Mr Butler said the Australian Government was making solid progress towards its goal of opening up to 16 centres across the country by 2014, with the first centres to open by the end of this year.
“Mental illness disproportionately affects young people, but only 25 per cent of 16 to 24 year olds who experience mental illness will get help.”
“The Government is committed to providing the services to help these young people.”
Mr Butler said the new Early Psychosis Youth Centres (EPYCs) are an important part of the Government’s $2.2 billion mental health plan.
“The centres will have the capacity to provide services for up to 700 young people each year when they are fully established.”
The new EPYCs will be based on the model developed by the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre in Melbourne, founded by Professor Patrick McGorry.
“This model is recognised as best practice around the world,” Mr Butler said.
“These centres will support young people with early psychotic symptoms with intense clinical support as well as help with their housing, education and employment.”
The 2011-12 federal Budget provided $222.4 million over five years for up to 12 new EPYCs, with another four funded in the previous year’s Budget. State and territory governments will also provide funding for the centres.
Service development planning is currently underway for two centres in Western Australia.
The Northern Territory submission was successful in the first funding round and discussions about a scaled down version are progressing. Negotiations are also continuing for sites in Victoria and as many as four sites in New South Wales.
In addition to the EPYCs, the Federal Government allocated almost $200 million in the 2011-12 Budget to expand the headspace youth mental health centres with 15 new centres being announced yesterday.
For more information, contact the Minister’s Office on 02 6277 7280
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