Limestone Coast welcomes $3.4m Head to Health satellite service centre

A pre-election cash splash has answered a local petition attracting 3000 signatures and scored Mount Gambier mental health services a big win.

Two major funding announcements for the Limestone Coast have been announced in less than a week, including securing one of the 24 Head to Health satellite service centres.

Liberal MP Tony Pasin has been a staunch advocate for a Mount Gambier based centre since the scheme was announced in May last year.

Hosting several round tables in November last year, Limestone Coast residents spoke to Mr Pasin about the region’s lack of mental health services — despite Mount Gambier being South Australia’s second largest city.

Liberal Member for Barker Tony Pasin. Picture: File

“Before travelling to Canberra for this sitting period, I received a petition of almost 3000 signatures from the Limestone Coast community asking for one of the 24 Head to Health satellite centres to be located in Mount Gambier,” Mr Pasin told parliament last year.

“I’m grateful to everyone across the Limestone Coast who signed the petition and wrote letters of support that I was then able to hand to the Health Minister in Canberra.”

The Mount Gambier Head to Health satellite service will be commissioned by the local Primary Health Network, which will receive a total of $3.4 million over four years from 2022 to establish and operate the centre.

Cr Ben Hood, Tony Pasin MP and Limestone Coast mental health service providers. Picture: Supplied by Tony Pasin

Services at the Head to Health centre will be free, with referrals also available for more intensive mental health care or social supports if needed.

City of Mount Gambier Councillor Ben Hood, who made an unsuccessful attempt as a state Liberal candidate, said the centre would be a “fantastic” addition to Mount Gambier’s mental health services.

“Like Headspace has become a go-to space for young people, Head to Health will become that for people over the age of 25,” he said.

UniSA Forestry researcher Dr Jim O’Hehir, Tony Pasin MP, Borg Manufacturing facility manager Greg Kenny and GTFIH executive general manager Liz McKinnon. Picture: Supplied Portland Forestry funding announcement

Friday’s announcement follows a recent $1.3m cash injection to help the South East Green Triangle battle Australia’s ongoing critical timber shortage.

Federal Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing Mark Butler was critical of the timing of the announcement.

“The mental health and wellbeing of Australians is too important to be politicised. These announcements shouldn't wait just until election campaigns,” Mr Butler said.

Mr Hood rejected the idea the announcement was politically motivated and said Mr Pasin had been working on securing the service for months.

“The stakeholder engagement which was undertaken by Tony Pasin has been ongoing since October, November last year — that engagement is where the idea for the petition was born,” Mr Hood said.

Mr Pasin would not comment on whether the timing of the announcement was politically motivated.