Mental health support centre officially opened

A NEW facility to support families and carers of people in the Geelong region experiencing mental health challengesis now officially open.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect Centre for Barwon South West is located in central Geelong.

It is part of a network of eight such centres across the state, and was built to follow a recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

The Connect Centres are the first of their kind in Australia, supporting the mental health and quality of life of caregivers supporting someone with mental health and substance use challenges.

There are presently more than 60,000 Victorians providing mental health care to family and loved ones, which is often a long-term and unpaid responsibility without adequate support.

Recognising the challenges that caregivers often face, the Connect Centres offer a welcoming and accessible space, available for walk-ins and without need for a referral, giving those with care responsibilities access to a range of services, including information, networks, resources and hardship funds.

There is a focus on holistic, relational and non-clinical support.

Staff at the Barwon South West centre, at 141 Malop Street, have their own lived experience of supporting someone with mental health or substance use challenges and understand the needs and circumstances of those who come for support.

The Barwon Southwest Connect Centre is operated by Wellways as the lead provider, in collaboration with Satellite Foundation.

Geelong MP Christine Couzens and Lara MP Ella George visited the centre earlier this month for the official opening.

“We are making it easier for families and carers of people experiencing mental health challenges to also take care of themselves, with this warm, welcoming and accessible space run by experts,” Ms Couzens said.

The Victorian government says it is working on implementing more than 90 per cent of the Royal Commission’s recommendations and has spent more than $6 billion since the Royal Commission handed down its final report in 2021.

“Family and loves ones play such an important role in our health system, with this new centre in Geelong helping more local caregivers get the support they deserve close to home,” Ms George said.

For more information on the Barwon South West centre, head to wellways.org/our-services/mental-health-wellbeing-connect