A re-elected Morrison Government will establish a new mental health and wellbeing centre for children in Bedford Park, Adelaide.
The $12.6 million Health to Health Kids hub will be the first of its kind in South Australia and the first in a network of 15 centres to be established across the country.
The new Head to Health Kids hub will provide children up to 12 years of age and their parents and carers with a range of high-quality, multidisciplinary mental health and early intervention services.
Minister for Health and Ageing, Greg Hunt, said early intervention was a vital part of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and their families.
“We know that proper support can improve long-term outcomes and help children achieve their full potential in life,” Minister Hunt said.
“Through the Head to Health Kids hubs, the Morrison Government is ensuring that parents can get easy access to appropriate mental health care for their younger children.
“The hub will make a complex system more accessible and easier to navigate. By complementing and integrating with existing services, this will ensure multidisciplinary and seamless support for children and their families.”
Head to Health Kids Hubs deliver on a key recommendation included in the Government’s National Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which was launched last year.
Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, David Coleman, said the Strategy was the first of its kind, not just in Australia, but across the world.
“Half of all adult mental health challenges emerge before the age of 14, yet few children below the age of 12 receive professional support,” Assistant Minister Coleman said.
“Our Government is committed to the task of ensuring every Australian gets the help they need to overcome mental ill health through early intervention, diagnosis, treatment and ongoing support.
“Children and young people are a priority population under the recently released National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement.
“The National Agreement is a key step in achieving landmark reforms to the Australian mental health and suicide prevention system.”
Establishment of the Adelaide Head to Health Kids hub will begin in 2022-23, with the centre expected to be operational in 2023-24.
Liberal candidate for Boothby, Dr Rachel Swift, welcomed the announcement of the new centre and said the Morrison Government continues to make the mental health and wellbeing of all Australians a national priority.
“It is welcoming news that very shortly the children of South Australia will soon have access to additional mental health services right here in our great state,” Dr Swift said.
“Like the Head to Health centres for adults, Head to Health kids will provide a welcoming, stigma-free entry point for families and their kids to access mental health information, services and supports.
“I encourage all parents, if you are worried about the mental health of your child, please visit this centre. The services are free, and referrals can also be made for more intensive mental health care or social supports if needed.”
The Morrison Government continues to make mental health and suicide prevention a national priority and continues to drive structural reform and real change to deliver better outcomes for all Australians.
Through the 2021-22 and 2022-23 Budgets, the Government is investing nearly $3 billion into the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan to drive this reform.
As a result of these investments, funding for mental health and suicide prevention services through the Health portfolio have increased to a record $6.8 billion in 2022-23, more than doubling since 2012-13.
Unlike the Labor Party, which has not given Australians any detail on their plans for mental health, the Morrison Government will continue to ensure that all Australians can access information, advice, counselling, or treatment, when and where they need it.
Anyone experiencing distress can seek immediate advice and support through Lifeline
(13 11 14), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), or the Government’s digital mental health gateway, Head to Health.