“Mental health is the single biggest health issue facing young Australians and the Whitsundays region is no different,” North Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) CEO Robin Whyte said on the opening of Proserpine’s new mental health service on Monday.
Located on Proserpine’s Main Street, the headspace Whitsundays building is a new ‘satellite centre’ operating under the headspace Mackay banner and commissioned by NQPHN, removing the need for Whitsunday residents to have to travel down to the Sugar City or up to Townsville for mental health services.
Headspace is the national Youth Mental Health Foundation which provides early intervention mental health services for 12- to 25-year-olds, each year helping thousands of young people access services like counselling in 140 communities across Australia.
The centre will provide free, confidential health services with a key focus on mental health, alcohol and other drugs, education and employment support and physical and sexual health.
Member for Dawson George Christensen MP, Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Andrew Willcox, and Regional Health Minister the Honourable Dr. David Gillespie MP visited the centre on its opening day.
Mayor Andrew Willcox reflected on years past in Proserpine when there were an unfortunate number of suicides within a short period of time.
“I contacted the federal member and said, what can we do about this, and to be standing here today is a really good result,” Mayor Willcox said.
“I encourage anybody, if they’re struggling or someone they know is struggling, come down and have a yarn to the clinicians, because a problem shared is a problem halved.”
Dr Gillespie travelled from NSW to see the opening and said that ensuring young Australians can access the mental health care they need is a priority, especially in the wake of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Young Australians needing support can access free services through their local headspace or online through eheadspace headspace.org.au/eheadspace.
The Proserpine headspace will operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, with walk-ins encouraged.
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