It is estimated that one in five young Australians aged 16-24 will experience mental illness in any given year.
With a focus on early intervention, headspace provides young people aged 12-25 years old and their families with support at a crucial time in their lives – to help get them back on track and strengthen their ability to manage their mental health in future.
Murray PHN chief executive Matt Jones said the Echuca headspace centre, plus a satellite centre at Wangaratta, would next year add to the existing headspace centres across our region – Albury, Bendigo, Swan Hill, Shepparton and Mildura.
In yesterday's meeting, headspace National provided additional information on their work and the headspace model of care, while Murray PHN outlined its process for commissioning a lead agency and consortium to deliver the headspace model for young people in Echuca, Moama and beyond.
“Headspace is a platform for collaboration and partnership across the stepped care model for young people,” Mr Jones said.
“We will look for partnerships that build on local strengths and integrate with local service systems.
“Our rural and regional context means Echuca headspace will provide access to services that are cross-border and cross-sector.”
Murray PHN executive director of integration Penny Wilkinson said sustainable primary health partnerships were key to improving health outcomes.
“Commissioning is not about competition – it is about investing in collaborative service systems and approaches in primary care that fit within a local system of health care,” she said.
