New headspace youth mental health service for Pine Rivers

An Open Minds-led consortium will run the new headspace centre proposed for the Pine Rivers region, following its successful application through Brisbane North PHN’s competitive tender process.

Brisbane North PHN Executive Manager for Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drug Programs Paul Martin congratulated Open Minds and thanked the other applicants for their interest in delivering youth mental health services.

“Open Minds has significant experience in providing mental health care to young people through two other headspace centres it operates in Brisbane North,” Mr Martin said.

“This new headspace centre will improve access to psychological therapies and other supports for young people with mild to moderate mental health issues in the Pine Rivers region, when it opens later this year,” he said.

In April 2019, the Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt alongside the Member for Dickson Peter Dutton, announced $3.5 million in funding for a new headspace centre covering Strathpine and the surrounding region.

The new centre is part of the Australian Government’s commitment to prioritising mental health and is one of 30 new sites nationwide.

headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation provides early intervention mental health services to 12 to 25 year olds, and other assistance aimed at promoting young peoples’ wellbeing.

The help available covers mental health, physical health, work and study support and alcohol and other drug services.

Jamie Thompson, Open Minds Regional Manager for Service Delivery and Allied Health, thanked his organisation’s consortium partners for their support during the tender process.

“We are so glad to have been selected as the lead agency to deliver services to the youth community,” Mr Thompson said.

“We look forward to developing strong and effective working relationships to best support the needs of young people and their families and friends in the region moving forward,” he said.

“With young people seeking support at an unprecedented rate, existing headspace centres are experiencing challenges in meeting service demand locally and wait times are growing.

“Establishing a headspace centre in the Pine Rivers region will help meet this demand and take considerable pressure off other community services.

“We have engaged with many community groups and organisations in the region to gain an understanding of the key issues young people face and hope to use this understanding to implement youth-centric, effective and reliable service delivery.

“We are proud to be partnering with the PHN to deliver such a crucial service to young people,” Mr Thompson said.

Responsibility for commissioning the new Pine Rivers centre fell to Brisbane North PHN, which conducted an open tender process following consultations with the local community.