Work has started on the South West mental health step-up, step-down service.
The 10-bed service on Vittoria Road in Glen Iris, will support people with their mental health in a residential style setting, while remaining close to family and friends.
The facility is expected to open early 2020, with the State Government providing $4.56 million in funding from Royalties for Regions. Planning for the facility was announced last May, followed by community consultation with some residents raising concerns over the location of the facility.
Mental Health Minister Roger Cook visited Bunbury last week to ‘break soil’ on the project and said the service would provide South West people with a new option for mental health treatment.
“I’m really pleased with the way the Bunbury community has responded to our calls to have this facility at this site and as a result of that we can get on with the construction and get it operating as soon as possible,” he said.
“Offering appropriate community mental health services is vital to ensure people who need help get the best possible treatment, it also frees up beds in our hospitals.
“This step up step down facility will provide a great boost to mental health services in the South West.”
Mr Cook said the service would allow people to get back on and track and move on with their lives.
Bunbury MLA Don Punch said the facility would result in better treatment outcomes, describing it as a “helping hand”.
“It is sad that it is needed in our communities but people do suffer from mental illness and this will be a fantastic facility to enable them to get the help early,” he said.
Mental Health Commission commissioner Timothy Marne said it was really exciting.
“The whole purpose of this facility will be to intervene early so people don’t have to deteriorate in their health to such an extent as to require a hospital stay,” he said.
“It will help people get the right care, at the right time, in the right place, to address emerging mental health issues.”
For more information visit mhc.wa.gov.au/stepupstepdown. If you need support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
