TONY PASIN MP
MEMBER FOR BARKER
ASSISTANT SHADOW MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT
MEDIA RELEASE
PASIN WELCOMES HEAD TO HEALTH SERVICE COMMENCEMENT
Member for Barker, Tony Pasin MP, has welcomed the commencement of services at the Mount Gambier Head to Health.
From next week the much-anticipated Head to Health service announced by the Coalition Government last year will begin offering free and accessible mental health services to adults in the Limestone Coast community at an interim address at Focus One on Sturt Street, Mount Gambier, before moving to a purpose designed space near headspace, on Commercial St East later this year.
Mr Pasin said the Head to Health rollout was a key initiative of the former Coalition Government, who embarked on landmark reform of the mental health system.
“The Coalition has a track record in delivering easy to access mental health support for Australians, establishing the headspace model in 2006 and then initiating the Head to Health rollout in 2021 with Mount Gambier being one of the initial locations for the adult mental health support services,” Mr Pasin said.
Much like the service headspace offers to young people of the Limestone Coast, the Head to Health site in Mount Gambier will offer a welcoming, ‘no wrong door’ entry point for adults to access mental health information, services and support.
“Upon being elected in 2013, I set about advocating within Government for a headspace in Mount Gambier which was delivered in 2016.
“My successful campaign for a Head to Health facility in 2021 means another important link in the network of services existing here in the Limestone Coast,” Mr Pasin said.
Mr Pasin began advocating for a Head to Health service following the announcement of 24 new satellite centres as part of the 2021-22 Coalition Federal Budget in May 2021.
Following a 12-month campaign including a community petition, Head to Health for Mount Gambier was announced by the Coalition Government in April 2022.
“Congratulations to the Focus One team on the commencement of services. It’s certainly a proud moment for me and indeed everyone who was involved in advocating for the local service,” Mr Pasin said.
“Most importantly, thank you to the thousands of community members who signed the petition which I then presented to the former Minister for Health, Greg Hunt. Each signature was a demonstration of need and support and helped me in my advocacy to the Minister on behalf of the Limestone Coast,” Mr Pasin said.
Head to Health will commence service delivery from an interim address at 13A Sturt Street from July 18.
Initially services will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays, building up to five days a week by September.
Media Contact: Charlotte Edmunds 8724 7730
