The Coalition government will spend $3.4 million to establish and run a Headspace unit in Kempsey to help the one in four young people in the region who will experience mental health problems - every year.
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The unit will be run through the North Coast Primary Care Network.
Member for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker said three quarters of all mental health issues involved people under 25 and early intervention via services like Headspace maximised the chance of reducing the impact of problems so that troubled young people could go on to live fulfilling lives.
"This is a terrific health facility for Kempsey and I thank Health Minister Greg Hunt for funding this over four years," Mr Hartsuyker said. "Mental health problems are a debilitating scourge, especially among the young, and the Headspace program is part of what is now a nearly half billion dollar investment in services for young, and indigenous Australians, to deal with it.
"Getting the right advice, information, counselling, and treatment quickly is crucial and that's what a Headspace unit does. The Nationals believe we need to deliver appropriate health services where people live, so they don't have to travel to get the care that they deserve. This Headspace unit is another example of that commitment becoming a reality."
The new Headspace unit is in addition to $380,000 Mr Hartsuyker announced in March for the Kempsey Suicide Prevention Action Plan.
Mr Hartsuyker thanked the North Coast Primary Care Network for assisting to secure the new Headspace service for Kempsey, which is one of 30 new units being established around the country. It is expected to be operating by the middle of next year.
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