A recent injection of $5.18 million in federal government funds has seen headspace Bendigo help an extra 300 young people amid a growing need for mental health services in the region.
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In the last 12 months, headspace Bendigo had already worked with 760 young people.
The extra funding, spread across the six headspace services in the Murray Primary Health Network, allowed the Bendigo organisation increase staffing levels to meet the rise in demand for help.
Emma McBride, the federal assistant minister for mental health and suicide prevention as well as rural and regional health, visited headspace Bendigo recently.
She said a third of headspace Bendigo's users were in the "vulnerable 15 to 17 year old age group".
More people presenting with anxiety
"Young people in Bendigo are presenting most often with problems with family and friends, anxiety and feeding sad or depressed," Ms McBride said.
"I'm pleased that the additional funding has allowed Bendigo headspace to reduce wait times and provide care to more young people."
Bendigo MP Lisa Chesters said demand for support services had grown significantly over the last few years.
She said headspace Bendigo had a particular focus on helping young people with anxiety, problems at school, home or with peers, depression, sexual health, physical and general mental health.
"Our local headspace Bendigo team do an amazing job to support young people in our community, but they were struggling to meet the demand for their services," she said.
"That's why I am so pleased and relieved to see the increased additional (Demand Management and Enhancement) funding they received ... is making a difference."
Reduced waiting times
Ms Chesters said she invited assistant minster McBride to meet with local young people to see first-hand the impact of the boost in funding, including reduced waiting times and improved access to services.
Headspace Bendigo is part of a network of 160 services nationally, 40 in Victoria and many in regional areas where young people have found it difficult to access support close to home.
Headspace provides free, telephone and web-based services to young people aged 12 to 25 years with, or at risk of, developing mental illness.
Visit www.headspace.org.au or phone 1800 650 890.
