headspace Hawkesbury Officially Opens

The new headspace Hawkesbury centre was officially opened on Friday 1 March, by the Hon Emma McBride MP, Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health, together with Susan Templeman MP, Member for Macquarie.

headspace Hawkesbury is federally funded through Wentworth Healthcare, the provider of the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network, who commissioned Uniting NSW.ACT to establish the service. The full-service centre provides free early intervention support to young people aged 12-25 years across mental health, physical health, work and study, and alcohol and other drug needs. The official launch welcomed stakeholders from across the region who played a part in helping to secure and establish the centre, including young people from the community. It was an opportunity for people to come together to celebrate the successful opening of a new service to benefit young people in the local area.

Lizz Reay, CEO of Wentworth Healthcare, said they have worked closely with Uniting NSW.ACT to deliver a service that addresses the increasing mental health needs of the Hawkesbury region, where anxiety and depression are two of the top five most prevalent diagnoses. It is estimated that of those aged 5-17 years in the Hawkesbury, over a quarter have mental health needs or are affected by a mental health disorder.

“We are passionate about improving the mental health of our local communities and know there is a real need for ongoing services in the Hawkesbury. headspace services play a vital role in supporting young people and their mental health, as well as their family and friends. Young people in the Hawkesbury have been through so much over the past few years, from drought to bushfires, a pandemic and multiple floods. Early intervention programs such as headspace are critical as they not only impact young people’s lives in the present but can influence the whole community as these young people mature into adulthood,” she said.

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