The new Goldfields community mental health step up/step down service is on track to open early next year.
Mental Health Minister Roger Cook visited the site at 13 Davidson Street, Kalgoorlie and helped lay bricks at the new 10-bed facility.
The service will provide short-term accommodation, together with specialist treatment and support, for people with mental health issues.
It will give people in the Goldfields region another option for their mental health treatment in a community-based setting, close to home and to their personal support networks.
ACorp Construction is currently on track, with the construction due to be completed by the end of this year. Approximately 55 regional jobs have been established as part of the project.
A tender process is also underway to appoint a service provider to manage the delivery of the service, starting in early 2021.
This service will complement the $23 million the McGowan Government provides to the Western Australian Country Health Service and non-government organisations to provide mental health, alcohol and drug services in the region.
The new service will bring the total number of step up/step down beds to 58 State-wide, including the existing services at Albany (six beds), Bunbury (10 beds), Joondalup (22 beds) and Rockingham (10 beds).
The McGowan Government is investing over $28 million in capital funding to progress the establishment of regional community mental health step up/step down services in Broome, Bunbury, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie and Karratha.
As stated by Mental Health Minister Roger Cook:
“We are committed to driving improvement of services, supporting people in the regions with mental health and providing more options for people to recover from mental health issues.
“This service will complement a range of other mental health care and alcohol and other drug services in the Goldfields.
“Importantly, it will allow more people in the region who need mental health care to access it nearer where they live.”
As stated by Mining and Pastoral Region MLC Kyle McGinn:
“Our community has been asking for a new community mental health service for a long time now.
“The benefit of this facility is that Goldfielders will be able to have friends and family come and support them while they receive the support they need.
“It will make a huge difference to have this service in our community so people can stay close to their local support networks.”
