Summary
Read the full fact sheet- Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals are a service that helps Victorians get mental health and wellbeing support when they need it, where they need it.
- All support is free, and you do not need a referral from your doctor to access help.
- Simply call 1300 375 330 to talk about your individual needs.
On this page
- About Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals
- Getting support
- Find your nearest service
- Support for young people
- Looking after yourself as a family member, carer or support person
- Transforming Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing system
- Transitioning your support from a Hub to a Local Service
- Crisis support
- Information in your language
About Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals
Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals are a service that supports Victorian adults to get mental health and wellbeing treatment, care and support closer to home.
Support is free of charge, and you don’t need a referral from your doctor or health professional.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals are for anyone aged 26 years and over experiencing mental health or wellbeing concerns. This includes anyone who is experiencing mental health and substance use concerns at the same time.
If you are a family member, carer, friend or supporter of someone with mental health concerns, you can also access support to help you in your caring role, or for your own mental health needs.
If you or someone you support is between 12 and 25 years old, please visit or contact your local headspace centre for mental health and wellbeing support.
To find out more about headspace services, please visit headspace.
Getting support
Getting the support you need is free and easy through Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals.
You do not need a referral from a doctor or any other health professional to access support. You also do not need a mental health care plan or a Medicare card to use the service.
On your first visit to a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local, you will talk to a mental health worker (this may be in person, online or over the phone). This worker will simply ask you “How can we help?”
This worker will focus on listening and understanding your concerns so they can work with you and, if you are comfortable, your family, carers and supporters, to design a care plan that meets your goals and preferences.
Your plan might include a mix of supports and therapies based on your needs. Some of these supports might be provided on your first visit, and others on later visits. This may involve connecting you to other health and social services if you need them.
Peer workers will also be available to guide and support you as well as your family, carers and supporters.
Support is delivered in a range of ways including in-person, telehealth, and outreach, depending on what you feel comfortable with.
If you wish to remain anonymous you can call 1300 375 330 and ask for support without providing your personal details.
Find your nearest service
Below is a list of all Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals currently providing support.
Local Services are being progressively established across Victoria, and the types of support offered will vary across locations.
Location | Contact details |
---|---|
Benalla-Wangaratta-Mansfield Benalla Wangaratta Mansfield | Tel. 1800 000 842 Benalla Mansfield |
Brimbank Open for walk-ins or call for support | Tel. 03 9448 5522 45 Dickson St, |
East Gippsland Bairnsdale: Orbost: | Tel. 1300 000 352 |
Frankston Open for walk-ins or call for support | Tel. 1800 000 525 Ground Floor, 454 Nepean Hwy, |
Greater Bendigo, Loddon and Campaspe Bendigo: Echuca: | Tel. 1800 332 501 |
Greater Dandenong Call for support | Tel. 1800 332 501 |
Greater Geelong and Queenscliffe Geelong: | Tel. 1800 573 151 Level 1/12-14 Thompson Rd, |
Greater Shepparton, Strathbogie and Moira Shepparton: | Tel. 1300 000 559 |
Latrobe Open for walk-ins or call for support |
23 Hazelwood Road, |
Melton Call for support | Tel. 1800 332 501 |
Mildura Call for support | Tel. 1300 000 667 |
Whittlesea Open for walk-ins or call for support |
Suite 7/1 Danaher Drive, |
Yarra Ranges Lilydale: | Tel. 1300 000 252 |
Visit a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local provider's website or call 1300 375 330 for more information.
- Benalla, Wangaratta and Mansfield: Wellways Australia in partnership with Albury Wodonga Health and ACSO
- Brimbank: cohealth in partnership with Clarity Health Care and the University of Melbourne
- Orbost and Bairnsdale, servicing East Gippsland: Wellways Australia in partnership with Gippsland Lakes Complete Health and Latrobe Regional Health
- Frankston: Wellways Australia in partnership with Peninsula Health and Mentis Assist
- Bendigo and Echuca, servicing Greater Bendigo, Loddon and Campaspe: Mind Australia in partnership with Bendigo & District Aboriginal Co-operative, Bendigo Health, Echuca Regional Health, The Salvation Army and Thorne Harbour Health Ltd
- Dandenong, servicing Greater Dandenong: Mind Australia in partnership with Monash Health, The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture Inc. and Thorne Harbour Health Ltd
- Greater Geelong and Queenscliffe: Barwon Health in partnership with Wellways Australia, ermha365 and Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operativ
- Shepparton, servicing Greater Shepparton, Strathbogie and Moira: Wellways Australia in partnership with APMHA Healthcare Ltd and Goulburn Valley Health
- Latrobe: Neami National in partnership with Drummond Street Services and Uniting Vic Tas
- Melton, servicing City of Melton: Mind Australia in partnership with IPC Health, MidWest Area Mental Health Service, Thorne Harbour Health Ltd and Western Health
- Mildura servicing Rural City of Mildura: Wellways Australia in partnership with Mallee District Aboriginal Services, Mildura Base Public Hospital and Sunraysia Community Health Services
- Whittlesea: Neami National in partnership with Drummond Street Services, Uniting Vic Tas and Victorian Aboriginal Health Services.
- Lilydale, servicing Yarra Ranges: Wellways Australia in partnership with Eastern Health, Inspiro and Oonah Belonging Place.
If a Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals is not yet open near you, you can still call 1300 375 330 to talk to someone about your needs and be connected to a Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub or other supports that are close to where you live.
Information for Area Mental Health Services, community mental health services, and primary and secondary care providers is on the Department of Health website.
Support for young people
If you or someone you support is between 12-25 years, it is recommended that you contact your local headspace for mental health and wellbeing support. To access headspace services, please visit headspace.
If you are a young person, Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals may provide support in some situations, such as:
- you contact a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local looking for help
- you are having difficulty getting support through headspace or a hospital and need immediate assistance
- you are a family member, carer, friend or supporter of a person receiving support from a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local.
Looking after yourself as a family member, carer or support person
All services are family and carer inclusive and will provide education and support to families, carers and supporters of individuals experiencing mental illness and/or substance use concerns.
Whether you would like to receive help for you in your caring role, or for your own mental health and wellbeing needs – you will be able to get the care, support and advice you need, when you need it.
For free support, call 1300 375 330.
Transforming Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing system
The way mental health and wellbeing services are delivered in Victoria is being redesigned to create a mental health and wellbeing system that provides holistic treatment, care and support for all Victorians.
The new system will be integrated and structured around a community-based model of care, where people can access treatment, care and support closer to their homes and support networks.
Importantly, people with lived experience of mental illness or psychological distress are central to the design and delivery of the new mental health and wellbeing system.
Local Adult and Older Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing Services, now known as Mental Health and Wellbeing Localsare one of the flagship reforms recommended by the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.
If you would like to learn more about mental health reform in Victoria, visit Mental health and wellbeing reform.
If you would like to stay updated on the progress of the rolling establishment of Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals across Victoria, visit Local adult and older adult mental health and wellbeing services.
Transitioning your support from a Hub to a Local Service
As the Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals are established, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs (Hub/s) in the same area will slowly phase down.
People aged 26 years and over who are being supported by a Hub in an area where there is a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local will have the option to transition across to a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local or another appropriate provider.
Staff from the Hubs and Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals will support and work with consumers and their families, carers and supporters to develop and implement a consumer centred transition plan that will focus on achieving continuity of care for people transitioning from a Hub to a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local.
Crisis support
Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals are not crisis services.
In an emergency which is life-threatening or where there is immediate risk of harm to anyone, call Triple Zero (000). For 24-hour crisis support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Information in your language
If you need help in your language, you can call TIS National on 13 14 50 and ask for an interpreter, then ask to be connected to your closest Mental Health and Wellbeing Local on 1300 375 330.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals are respectful of and responsive to your cultural needs.
Delivered in partnership with the Australian Government, as part of the Head to Health initiative.
This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by: