New Mental Health Support in Portarlington
A new Mental Health and Wellbeing Local outreach site has officially opened at the Bellarine Community Health (BCH) Portarlington site.
The outreach site, part of the Greater Geelong-Queenscliffe Mental Health and Wellbeing Network represents an important addition to mental health care in the region. The GGQ Local provides free services to residents without the need for a mental health care plan or Medicare card.
This partnership between BCH and the GGQ Local consortium follows an initial collaboration around a funded project on Social Prescribing. During the project, it was recognised that 30 percent of the Local’s service population reside on the Bellarine, but only 15 percent of referrals to the service were from the Bellarine, with transport being the major prohibitor.
This arrangement provides a framework for GGQ Local and BCH to work in partnership. It builds on the important mental health services we already provide to young people via our Youth and headspace services in our Child, Youth and Families portfolio, and allows us to extend mental health and wellbeing support across to our Adult and Aged Services.
The Agreement between our agencies will enable an effective, efficient, and accessible approach to mental health support in the community. Co-location of GGQ Local with BCH will more actively address mental health and wellbeing, alongside Social Prescribing in the Bellarine by:
- Fostering links with allied health teams and GPs.
- Creating pathways to access clinical and interdisciplinary networks and support.
- Increasing accessibility for consumers.
- Development of shared tools and language.
- Providing opportunities to create integration of services and increasing referrals to both agencies
Bethany McClelland, Co-Director Mental Health Drugs and Alcohol Services, Barwon Health
“The opening of the Portarlington site marks a major milestone for Greater Geelong and Queenscliffe and will form a vital cog in the region’s mental health care system.”
“I’d particularly like to thank Bellarine Community Health for partnering with us and for their openness and commitment to working together to support the Bellarine community.”
Kathy Russell, Chief Executive Officer, Bellarine Community Health
“Today is not simply about a new outreach location – it is about making support more accessible, strengthening community connections and ensuring that people living on the Bellarine can access the help they need, closer to home.”
You can learn more about the Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals HERE.
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