Free Distress Support Now Available for Victorians
08 Sep 2025
A new Distress Support Service is now available in Darebin and Shepparton, offering free, peer-led support for adults aged 18 and over who are experiencing distress.
The service helps people manage difficult situations early, providing practical tools and skills to cope with distress before it escalates.
How the service works:
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Community Engagement Points: Local organisations and services offer compassionate support, listen to concerns, and refer individuals to the Short-term Support Service if needed.
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Short-term Support Service: Provides practical, non-clinical support for 2–3 weeks, helping people understand the causes of their distress and connect with longer-term support if required.
This service fills a gap in Victoria’s mental health system, giving people early access to support without needing to visit a hospital, GP, or emergency service.
Locations and providers (2025–2027):
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Darebin: Delivered by ermha365 in partnership with the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service and Switchboard Victoria.
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Shepparton: Delivered by Mind Australia in partnership with Primary Care Connect.
Both programs include Aboriginal support workers to assist First Nations people and support connection with culture, community, and Country.
The service is part of a $5 million initiative, funded jointly by the Australian ($2.4 million) and Victorian ($2.6 million) Governments, and responds to Royal Commission recommendation 27.3 to provide intensive, short-term support for people experiencing distress.
Source: Victorian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care
