New and expectant parents in Melbourne’s North West and South East will soon have access to free mental health care with Perinatal Mental Health Centres to be established in the Hume and Casey LGAs.
Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Emma McBride MP, made the announcement today.
The new Perinatal Mental Health Centres are fully funded by the Australian Government and will be operated by Gidget Foundation Australia.
The centres will offer free psychological support for new and expectant parents throughout the perinatal period.
Parents with a GP referral and mental health care plan will be provided free in-person or digital tele-health services with a psychologist.
The Australian Government is investing $39.2 million to establish a network of 20 Perinatal Mental Health Centres across the country, making sure all new mums and dads can access support if they experience depression or anxiety.
Each year, almost 100,000 Australians are estimated to experience mental health challenges during the perinatal period.
Both new centres are expected to provide mental health support to approximately 800 parents each year.
Gidget Foundation Australia operates Perinatal Mental Health Centres, also known as Gidget Houses, in Fitzroy, Clayton, Point Cook, Parkville and Wendouree, which are funded through Medicare.
For more information, visit https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/support/gidget-house
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister McBride:
“The Albanese Labor Government is delivering more mental health services in the heart of communities, backed by Medicare.
“1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men experience anxiety or depression when they are expecting or have just become new parents and accessing support can be difficult.
“The new Perinatal Mental Health Centres will give parents in Melbourne’s Outer Suburbs a welcoming place to access free mental health support and care.
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister Hill:
“This new perinatal centre in the City of Casey will make sure local mums and dads get the support they need when preparing to welcome a new addition to their family.
“These perinatal centres build on Federal Labor’s investments to deliver more bulk billing for all Australians, making it easier to see a doctors and get the care you need, and saving families hundreds of dollars a year in out-of-pocket medical expenses.
“Over 92% of GP visits are now fully bulk billed in our local community, and our local Medicare Urgent Care Clinics in Narregate and Dandenong have now been made permanent.”
Quotes attributable to Cassandra Fernando, Member for Holt:
“As a mother, I know that welcoming a new baby can bring enormous joy, but it can also be one of the most vulnerable times in a parent’s life.
“That is why I am proud to be part of an Albanese Labor Government that is delivering a new Perinatal Mental Health Centre for families in Holt and across Casey.
“This new centre will make a real difference for families across Melbourne’s south-east by giving new and expectant parents access to free, professional mental health support close to home.
“In a growing community like Holt, where so many young families are building their lives, this is exactly the kind of care we need: local, accessible and backed by Medicare."
Quotes attributable to Jo Briskey, Member for Maribyrnong:
"Becoming a parent can be one of life's greatest joys, but it can also be one of your hardest moments.
“This new Gidget Foundation Centre means local families in our community will have somewhere to turn, with free, professional support right on their doorstep."
Quotes attributable to Basem Abdo, Member for Calwell:
“Extending Medicare-backed mental health services during the perinatal period will help ensure new and expectant parents receive the timely support they need.
“Removing barriers to mental health care helps more families access support during this critical stage of life.”