Headspace sexual health clinics are closing in Darwin and Katherine
A number of key sexual health clinics will close after Territory Government funding dried up. We reveal how the decision will impact the Territory’s young people. Vote in our poll.
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Young Territorians will no longer be able to access sexual health services at headspace clinics in Darwin and Katherine.
The clinics provided care for about 1500 young people and were funded by the Northern Territory Government Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities for two years.
The clinics were run in partnership with Anglicare NT and Northern Territory AIDS and Hepatitis Council to promote respectful relationships and good sexual health and wellbeing among children and young people 12 to 25 years old.
Anglicare NT CEO Dave Pugh said an evaluation of the program showed it was highly successful, but its closure was due to “the nature of short-term grants”.
Mr Pugh said 1200 young people attended the Darwin clinic and 300 attend the Katherine clinic each year.
He said Territorians access the sexual health clinics for a “range of things”.
“They might come for counselling, they might have worries they’ve contracted a disease, or to get info or support for safe sex,” he said.
The NT previously had a syphilis outbreak in 2014 with a spike in 2018.
Most cases were from the urban Darwin area and Katherine region.
Data from the Centre for Disease Control shows syphilis rates falling but chlamydia and gonorrhoea spiked in 2021.
The sexual health clinic in Katherine will close from November 9 and Darwin’s clinic will close after December 22.
Young Territorians will be able to access similar services at organisations such as Safe and Respectful Communities, Clinic 34 or through their GP.
Mr Pugh said many young people would “leave it” if “they have to jump through too many hoops” to get support.
“High rates of sexually transmitted infections, unplanned pregnancies, sexual and relationship violence in the Northern Territory demonstrate the need for youth access to quality information, holistic support and respectful advice,” Mr Pugh said.
He said headspace was a “really youth-friendly service” with hundreds of clients and it could be difficult to transition to other service providers.
“It’s wonderful young people know this is a safe place they feel confident in,” Mr Pugh said.
He was hopeful the clinics would be funded again and said NTAHC had already submitted for the next grant round in 2023.
A Northern Territory Government spokesperson described Clinic 34 as a specialist sexual health service providing testing, treatment and education on sexually transmitted infections and diseases, along with education and support for healthy and safe relationships.
“The Territory Government is also establishing an Aboriginal-led community-based specialist sexual assault service to build local and regional capacity,” the spokesperson said.
“The service will include counsellors and other experts and will deliver culturally-safe training, awareness and upskilling for staff in primary health settings across the NT.”
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