The Andrews Labor Government is delivering more mental health support for every young Victorian who needs it, with another dedicated youth mental health facility and new outreach service now both open in Melbourne.
Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Mental Health James Merlino today opened the newest Youth Prevention and Recovery Care (YPARC) service in Parkville, delivered with a $12.9 million Labor Government investment.
Providing care for around 200 extra young Victorians every year, the new 20-bed facility is the state's fourth YPARC, delivering a step-up, step-down model of residential care to young Victorians in Melbourne's north-western suburbs and the inner city.
As a key recommendation from the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System, YPARCs provide flexible, around-the clock clinical care for young people aged 16-25 - reducing pressure on hospital beds by providing early intervention care to prevent admission, or a step down after hospital treatment before going home.
The facility has been designed with a welcoming and home-like environment with private bedrooms complete with ensuites. Communal kitchen, dining and living areas, breakout spaces and a garden are designed to encourage recovery, support family visits and encourage young people to continue things like socialising and education.
The new YPARC service is located alongside Orygen, the National Centre for Excellence in Youth Mental Health, and is also close to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, ensuring young people have easy access to other support services - and are close to transport links for visiting friends and family.
The Labor Government has also opened a Victorian-first Hospital Outreach Post-suicidal Engagement (HOPE) dedicated to children and young people. Operating from Orygen's Parkville facility, it provides outreach support to people who have attempted suicide or presented to an emergency department once they leave hospital.
The Parkville service is the first of four youth-specific HOPE outreach programs the Labor Government will open across the state in the coming months - delivering a 12-week program of clinical and social support tailored to each young person, supporting them to recover and return to as much of their normal life as possible.
As part of the unprecedented $3.8 billion investment in the Victorian Budget 2021/22, the Labor Government is building a further five YPARC services in Greater Ballarat, Greater Geelong, Greater Shepparton, Heidelberg and Traralgon and refurbishing the three existing YPARC facilities in Bendigo, Dandenong and Frankston.
As stated by Premier Daniel Andrews
"We're giving young Victorians confidence that when they're in crisis, there are services that will give them the tailored mental healthcare they need, close to home - no matter where they live."
As stated by Minister for Mental Health James Merlino
"YPARC services are a game-changer for youth mental health - providing support after a young person has been in hospital or delivering the care they need to avoid a hospital admission entirely - and that's why we're building them right across Victoria."
As stated by Member for Northern Metropolitan Region Sheena Watt
"It's fantastic to have a dedicated youth mental health facility in our Parkville medical precinct to give young Victorians the care and recovery they deserve."
