New CQ headspace location to launch to combat suicide

“Given the number of youth suicides in the area, we recognise it’s vital to have more early intervention services available locally.”

Young people in the Central Highlands are one step closer to receiving local mental and physical health services.

Australian youth mental health and wellbeing group, headspace, will soon be operational in Emerald, with AnglicareCQ heading up the first stand-alone site in the region.

AnglicareCQ CEO Carol Godwin said the new centre would target many local issues, with a strong focus on addressing youth suicide rates in the area.

“HeadspaceEmerald will be a free, confidential service that will offer early intervention across four key areas – mental health, related physical health, social and vocational support, as well as alcohol and other drug use,” she said.

“Given the number of youth suicides in the area, we recognise it’s vital to have more early intervention services available locally.

“Our initial focus will be on creating a youth friendly hub.”

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Ms Goodwin said while AnglicareCQ was the lead agency, the Central Highlands community and other service providers were essential in helping to secure the centre.

Funded by Commonwealth primary healthcare agency Central Queensland, Wide Bay, Sunshine Coast PHN, the Emerald centre will provide tailored mental health and wellbeing support to people aged 12 to 25.

Headspace CEO Jason Trethowan said the appointment of a lead agency for headspace Emerald was an important step in establishing the service.

“We know it’s much harder for young people to access mental health services in rural and remote parts of Australia,” Mr Trethowan said.

“Headspace services like this one in Emerald will go a long way to ensure young people across the region can get the specific youth friendly support they need to help them get back on track.”

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Federal Member for Flynn, Ken O’Dowd, said early intervention was “absolutely critical” to helping young people with mental health issues in regional areas.

“There are more pressures on young people today than ever before and the establishment of this headspace is so important in providing needed services in our region,” he said.

“With drought, a global pandemic and other stressful events crippling our rural communities like Emerald, most of us think of this as just adult problems, however, these effect the family unit as whole.

“I want our young people to know they are not alone on their journey, and that headspace is there to deliver quality frontline support and co-ordinate the right interventions for people who are at risk.”

HeadspaceEmerald is expected open and start delivering services by the end of 2021.

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