Despite years of lobbying for measures to counteract one of the highest rates of youth mental health issues in Melbourne, Whittlesea council has had its bid for a new mental health centre rejected.
Last month the federal government said it would build a new Headspace centre at Greensborough to provide mental health and well-being information and services to young people in the area but the council would not be getting it’s long campaigned satellite in South Morang.
Plenty Valley Community Health chief executive Phillip Bain said the local health network had been led to believe there would be funding for the Greensborough centre and the smaller Headspace outpost in Whittlesea.
“We’re completely gobsmacked by the government’s decision,” Mr Bain said.
“We can’t understand their logic of not advocating for Whittlesea considering the growth of the area.”
The push for more Headspace facilities in the north has been a partnership between Nillumbik, Darebin, Whittlesea and Banyule councils and agencies.
Whittlesea had a Headspace outreach facility for about a year before it was removed about 2009.
Now the closest Headspace facilities are located at Craigieburn and Glenroy until the Greensborough centre is operational next year.
Mr Bain said Plenty Valley Community Health and the council would continue to lobby local and federal MPs for a local Headspace.
Federal Member for Scullin Andrew Giles said he would support the push.
The City of Whittlesea is one of Victoria’s fastest growing municipalities and its rapid transformation stretches services and infrastructure to the limits. A tipping point has been reached, with families on the edge. The Whittlesea Community Futures Partnership pledges to:
■ Advocate for fairer distribution of resources for the growing communities of the City of Whittlesea to ensure we create liveable communities in Melbourne’s fringe.
■ Work together in reducing the service gaps and improving the life outcomes of City of Whittlesea communities to ensure they are not disadvantaged by where they live.
■ Work in partnership with all levels of the government to support and ensure they fulfil their obligations in building sustainable and liveable communities in the City of Whittlesea.
Northern Weekly is supporting the initiative.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
You can sign the Fairer Funding petition at www.fairerfunding.com.au, share stories through video and photos on the Fairer Funding Facebook page about how a lack of services affects you, and check the campaign’s progress on Twitter by following @fairerfunding.
OUR STORIES
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Northern Star Weekly also welcomes your stories – emaillcottee@starweekly.com.au.
