National Day to focus on Youth Mental Health in Mitchell

Today marks the inaugural National headspace Day – a national day of awareness aimed at ensuring that every young Australian knows how to get help for mental health issues if they need it, regardless of where they live.

This headspace Day Federal Member for Mitchell, the Hon Alex Hawke MP, has reminded all young members of the Mitchell community that mental health is important and help is always available.

Alex Hawke said intervention at the early stages of a mental illness can reduce its duration and impact enormously.

“Approximately one-in-four young people aged between 16-24 years may experience a mental illness at some point in their young lives,” Alex Hawke said.

“headspace has been a vital part of the Australian Government’s preventative health services for the last ten years, providing teenagers and young adults with affordable, youth-friendly mental health services through the headspace network.

Headspace Castle Hill provides a range of services in the Hills district that supports the mental health needs of 12-25 year olds in our local community. Headspace Castle Hill is located at 253 Old Northern Road, Castle Hill, phone number 7801 4600 or visit headspaceCastleHill@ucmh.org.au.

To mark National headspace Day, Australians are being encouraged to wear an ‘access all areas’ wristband and show their support on social media, using the hashtag #headspace. headspace centres across the country will also be hosting community events and open days.

headspace, as well as providing mental health services, also offers a range of additional advice and support services to young people on physical health, work and study support, and alcohol and substance abuse.

The Australian Government, during the recent election campaign, committed to investing $20 million for an additional ten headspace centres with the aim to increase services in rural and regional areas.

This continued investment will bring the total number of headspace centres to 110 around the country by 2019.

For more information on youth mental health services or National headspace Day, please visit the headspace Day website.