Plans for $20m mental health crisis centre at Elizabeth South revealed

Plans have been revealed for a “crisis” centre in Adelaide’s north aimed at reducing huge pressure on the hospital system.

Plans have been revealed for a proposed $20.4m “calming” mental health centre in Elizabeth South, aimed at reducing pressure on Adelaide’s emergency departments.

The 16-bed Crisis Stabilisation Centre will be built on a former council reserve, next to the Lyell McEwin Hospital and offer short-stay support for up to three nights for people experiencing distress.

The plans are part of the state government’s push to divert mental health patients from overflowing EDs and hospital beds.

It is based at the Lyell Mac because of limited mental health beds in the north of Adelaide but is open to patients statewide.

Earlier this month, a mental health patient assaulted three ED staff in the third attack on RAH clinicians in a week, sparking calls for separate, dedicated emergency departments for people suffering mental stress.

Health Minister Chris Picton said the new centre was designed to provide a “calming and supportive environment” for people in crisis.

“We know that the emergency department is not always the best place to be if you are experiencing a mental health crisis,” Mr Picton said.

“Integrating feedback from those with lived experience of mental health challenges and their loved ones is crucial to ensure that the services delivered in our public health care system are meeting the needs of the community.”

Artist impressions for a new Crisis Stabilisation Centre – a residential mental health facility at Elizabeth South. Picture: Greenway Architects

Artist impressions for a new Crisis Stabilisation Centre – a residential mental health facility at Elizabeth South. Picture: Greenway Architects

The building will also house a free, walk-in Medicare Mental Health Centre, which is already operating at an interim spot.

The upper level of the Crisis Stabilisation Centre will feature 16 beds including two accessible rooms, counselling rooms, a family lounge, and communal social areas including a balcony, lounges, kitchen and dining space.

The centre is custom designed to be comfortable and homelike, providing a therapeutic environment for people to get the mental health care they need, while reducing pressure on busy emergency departments.

Artist impressions for a new Crisis Stabilisation Centre – a residential mental health facility at Elizabeth South. Picture: Greenway Architects

It will offer access to lived-experience peer workers who can provide specialised support, together with a team of psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, doctors, nurses and cultural workers.

It will be operated by Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN), and Adelaide health provider Sonder.

Planning documents show the centre was originally going to be designed around a “traditional” model of care but a “significant policy change” meant the brief changed towards “co-designed, human-rights focused, recovery-orientated service”.

“The service is deliberately psychosocial in response, understanding that psychological or emotional distress is often linked to trauma and life difficulties,” the documents say.

It now aims to include culturally and “linguistically informed” services to meet the needs of the diverse community of Adelaide’s northern suburbs and create a homelike environment.

Mr Picton said the government was also building and opening 130 new mental health beds across seven major public hospitals, including three, 24-bed units at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Noarlunga Hospital and Modbury Hospital due to open in 2025.