Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Brimbank begins weekend telehealth support and employs new outreach workers

Since April the service has been offering a Saturday mental health telehealth service to improve access for people who cannot attend in person during the week.

cohealth also introduced two outreach workers and, in partnership with Jesuit Social Services, two dual diagnosis workers to the service who will go out into the community and engage with people who might need mental health support but may be reluctant or unable to attend the site.

Funded by the Victorian government, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Brimbank is a free, no appointment necessary, no referral required mental health service that connects people to a range of mental health services and social supports under one roof.

The service is open for anyone aged 26+ to walk-in Monday-Friday, 8am – 6pm, and in April started operating a Saturday mental health telehealth service. The outreach workers will act as a bridge between the community and the Brimbank Local, with a particular focus on marginalised people.

Through the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Brimbank, cohealth, in collaboration with Clarity Health Care and the University of Melbourne, is one of the front doors to Victoria’s mental health system, connecting people to a range of social and mental health support services. Through the service people can have contact with a variety of skilled and experienced workers including clinicians and people with lived experience of mental ill-health.

“We’ve cemented ourselves within the Brimbank community, building relationships with locals to understand what mental health supports they need, and how to make that support accessible,” said Nicole Bartholomeusz, cohealth’s Chief Executive.

“We have used the ‘no wrong door’ philosophy to welcome people into the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Brimbank, asking each of them ‘How can we help?’ and then we walk with them on their journey to wellbeing,” said Ms Bartholomeusz.

About the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Brimbank:

• Offers free mental health support to people over the age of 26, with no Medicare card, referral or appointment required
• Open for walk in from 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday at 45 Dickson St Sunshine
• Open for telehealth support: 9448 55 22
  • 8am – 6pm Monday-Tuesday
  • 8am – 8pm Wednesday – Friday
  • & on Saturdays 10am – 2pm:
• Find out more https://www.cohealth.org.au/service/brimbank-local/

Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Brimbank facts and stats

Since commencing operation in October 2022 (initially via telehealth and outreach, before moving to face to face appointments at Dickson St in March 2023), the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Brimbank has:

• Had contact with 5,495 people in the community via face-to-face, phone calls, telehealth appointments, community engagement activities and information sessions and outreach activities
• Delivered 8,812 hours of support to people in the community
• Used the ‘not wrong door’ philosophy to welcome 2,170 people into the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Brimbank and asked ‘How can we help?’
• 58% of the people who use the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Brimbank service are women

Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Brimbank key dates and milestones:

July 2022: Victorian Government announces cohealth has been selected to operate one of Victoria’s first Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals in Brimbank

October 2022: The Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Brimbank commences operating as a telehealth and outreach service

Feb/March 2023: cohealth begins operating the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Brimbank from 45 Dickson St Sunshine

March 2023: Former Minister for Mental Health, Gabrielle Williams, announces that cohealth’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Brimbank is now accepting ‘walk-ins’ at Dickson St, with no referral or appointment necessary

October 2023: cohealth wins National safety Award for the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Brimbank

February 2024: cohealth forms groundbreaking partnership with Quang Minh Buddhist temple in Footscray to improve access to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Brimbank for the Vietnamese Buddhist community

April 2024: Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Brimbank commences weekend outreach, dual diagnosis & phone service for people to access the mental health support they need

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More information:  media@cohealth.org.au or 0499 101 638

About cohealth: cohealth is a not-for-profit community health organisation that provides low-cost and free local health and support services including medical, dental, allied health, mental health, aged care and counselling, and many specialist health services across Melbourne’s CBD, northern and western suburbs, statewide in Victoria and across the east coast of Tasmania.