0:00
A Medicare mental health centre is a safe, warm, welcoming place where people can come and get free support for mental health problems and if they're in distress or feeling overwhelmed.
0:12
They were established to provide easier access for people to get the support that they need when they need it.
0:17
Anybody can access services at Medicare mental health centres.
0:22
You do not need a Medicare card, you do not need a doctor's referral.
0:26
You can walk in off the street to see somebody or you can make an appointment.
0:31
The centres were established to create a space for all to come into the centre, including their carers and family members, where people are accepted for who they are and they listen to in a non-judgemental way.
0:44
There are clinicians who can do therapy and there's lived experienced peer workers.
0:49
So there's a variety of backgrounds, a variety of qualifications and a lot of personal experience that people bring to their professional role.
0:59
Medicare mental health centres can provide a one to one, one off support or they can also provide an ongoing level of support.
1:08
These centres are a really great opportunity to really show that mental health is just as important as physical health. And just by making such an easy process, you walk in, you see someone, you see a friendly face and you feel welcome and that can only be a good thing right?
1:26
There is no shame in getting support.
1:29
Most people during their life will have a situation where they do need support.
1:34
People come in and they see, they see that it's easily accessible, they see that it's, you know, confidential and it really helps.
1:42
The feedback that we've been getting from people who've attended the centres are that they feel they feel safe, they feel welcomed and they feel heard and they've got sometimes for the first time, they feel some real hope.
1:55
To find your closest Medicare mental health centre, visit health.gov.au or call 1800 595 212.
Medicare Mental Health Centres provide a welcoming place where everyone can access free mental health information, services and supports. You do not need a referral, appoint or Medicare card to access services. The centres offer immediate support for people in distress, including their family and carers. Qualified mental health professionals and people who have lived experience of mental health work together to offer free support now and in the medium term.