Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Emma McBride, announced plans for the Campbelltown centre, one of four new Medicare Mental Health Centres in NSW, on Friday, 16 August.

Minister McBride said:

“The struggles of day-to-day life are placing increasing pressure on people and demand on our services which is why we are pleased to announce an additional four locations in NSW: Blacktown, Campbelltown, Broken Hill and Central Darling in Western NSW”.

Medicare Mental Health Centres provide on-the-spot support for people in distress and ongoing care for more complex mental health needs. 

The centres are staffed by multidisciplinary care teams, including social workers, nurses and peer support workers, who provide wraparound support and care across extended hours.

The Government invested an additional $29.9 million in the May budget to boost specialist care at the centres, providing access to psychologists and psychiatrists on call for every centre.

The Campbelltown centre, which is expected to open in the second half of next year, will be one of two in South Western Sydney.

The Liverpool Head to Health Centre opened last year. It will transition to a Medicare Mental Health Centre before the end of 2024. The new name will not impact on the services currently available at the centre.

South Western Sydney PHN (SWSPHN) will commission a new service provider to deliver the service locally. The service provider will consult with, and co-design the new service with the local community.

SWSPHN Chief Executive Officer, Dr Keith McDonald PhD, welcomed the announcement, saying the new centre would join the Liverpool site in providing our region’s residents with even greater access to a safe and welcoming space to find the mental health support appropriate for their needs.

“Since July last year 588 people have reached out to the Liverpool Head to Health Centre for support, with 6892.5 hours of support provided. This reflects the very real need for this kind of service in our region,” he said.

“Medicare Mental Health Centres deliver free, easy-to-access, quality mental healthcare for adults with a short or medium-term need. There’s no need for people using the service to make an appointment, or have a GP referral or Medicare card.”

Federal Macarthur MP, Dr Freelander, said: “The Medicare Mental Health Centre in Campbelltown will be a very welcome addition to the healthcare services available in my community. Getting professional support will help them directly but the benefits will flow through to families, workplaces and the whole community”.