We are pleased to announce the launch of the Head to Health Adult Mental Health Centre (AMHC) in Parramatta. One of just 26 national AMHCs, the Western Sydney hub is one of the first to open its doors to adults experiencing moderate to high mental health needs.
Ray Messom, CEO of the Western Sydney Primary Health Network, shared, “The birth of the Head to Health model during COVID-19 set a new precedent for normalising mental health challenges and supporting people to access help. Since September 2021, our Western Sydney Head to Health Pop Up centres have provided over 6,000 sessions to community members. This new, Adult Mental Health Centre will ensure that people of all backgrounds continue to access free, timely, quality mental health support”.
Of the 6,000 clients supported, 18.2% have been flagged ‘at risk of suicide’, and a startling 61.3% reported they were unemployed. This highlights the desperate need for free mental health services in our region to help those struggling to feel heard and to find a path forward. The new, permanent Head to Health centre in Parramatta is located close to public transport and requires no referral, appointment or prior mental health diagnosis.
Drikus van der Merwe, Stride CEO, stated, “We are incredibly pleased to have been appointed the service provider for the Head to Health Adult Mental Health Centre in Western Sydney. We’ve been working alongside the Western Sydney Primary Health Network since 2013 and are proud to be championing this new hub of collaborative, multidisciplinary care. We’d like to congratulate everyone involved in establishing this new centre, from conception through to opening the doors”.
The Parramatta Head to Health centre first opened on 3 July 2023, with the official opening taking place on 14 July with the Honourable Emma McBride, Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health.
In a statement, Minister McBride commented, “Since 2021, hundreds of people in Western Sydney have sought help for their mental health from a Head to Health Pop Up centre. This shows how important readily available and free care is to people across the region. We’re expanding our permanent Head to Health network across Australia, including this centre in Parramatta, to make sure all Australians can access the care they need”.
Donna Davis, Member for Parramatta, stated, “Free immediate and accessible mental health services seven days a week will be a game-changer for people living and working in Parramatta. Parramatta Head to Health is very welcoming with spaces customised to compliment the delivery of mental health and wellbeing support and make you feel comfortable”.
Head to Health Parramatta is open 9am to 9pm, Monday to Friday, and 3pm to 7pm on weekends and public holidays.
To access free, quality mental health care, call the national Head to Health line on 1800 595 212 (8:30am to 5:00pm weekdays) or walk into the centre and speak to the team in person: Head to Health Parramatta, Ground Floor, Suite 1, 150 George St, Parramatta NSW 2150.
For more information, go to our website: wentwest.com.au/health-professionals/head-to-health/
20 July 2023