By Jaidyn Kennedy
The Wyndham Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Werribee was officially opened on Friday 20 March.
Situated at 1-13 Watton Street, the Wyndham Local will provide a range of free clinical mental health and wellbeing support services.
Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt and Werribee MP John Lister conducted the opening.
The service is one of 22 across Victoria designed to provide support and treatment for adults older than 26 who are experiencing mental illness without a GP referral or needing to show a Medicare card.
Care will be delivered by a multidisciplinary team of experienced mental health professionals and wellbeing staff, many of whom have lived experience with mental health ailments.
The services will be funded by the state government, delivered by Cohealth in partnership with Mercy Health, and will be available 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.
Cohealth chief executive Nicole Bartholomeusz said being able to access the service without a referral removes a barrier to care.
“It really is a no wrong door approach, so anyone 26 and older can just walk in and say ‘Hey, I am not feeling great and I’d like to speak to someone,” Ms Bartholomeusz said.
“Our model allows that person to meet with someone who has had their own lived experience of mental health– we find that is a really good way to break the ice when it comes to walking into a new service.
“Then they can have a coffee, a chat and from that point work out what that person needs, and refer them to the right person in the team.”
The team will also perform outreach services by going to different spots in Wyndham and engaging with locals to let them know their options for care.
She added that removing the GP referral makes for a less intimidating experience.
“Often when you call a clinic for a GP appointment you are told it is a two or three week wait. But often when that person is making that call, they actually need something right then and there, so this is about providing that opportunity for conversation right then and there.”
