Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Since my election as the member for Dunkley, I have been contacted by many Dunkley residents who have raised with me their thoughts and needs with respect to mental health and the needs of those suffering from mental health issues in the community.

Headspace in Frankston—which I am very fond of—is one of the local support centres in my electorate which assists many young people locally who are living with mental health challenges. Headspace does remarkable work with young people who are experiencing emotional health challenges. As an active centre in Frankston, it is a place where friendships can be built, confidence can be nurtured and the knowledge and support of youth service providers in our community can be utilised.

On January 30, I was pleased to host the federal Minister for Health. the Hon. Greg Hunt, in my electorate of Dunkley. Along with the manager of headspace in Frankston, Rose-Mary Dowling, as well as the new CEO of headspace nationally, I was thrilled to be able to announce the delivery of an additional $240,000 in funding for the Frankston headspace, ensuring vital mental health services are available to young people in their local community for the next two years. This delivers, in fact doubles, the commitment I made to headspace during my recent election campaign to deliver on a local lead site for mental health services. A total of $750,000 will fund youth mental health services from St Kilda to the Mornington Peninsula through the South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network—one of the few PHNs in Australia to be a lead site for mental health services.

Frankston headspace is now developing and trialling new initiatives to tackle severe youth mental health issues, such as training youth workers to engage with young people and connect them with the right services. This funding builds on the work already undertaken to deliver regionally-focused mental health services through the South Eastern Melbourne PHN in partnership with the Victorian government and local service providers.

Mental health is a key priority for the Turnbull government and this funding will help improve the lives of many young people and their families. It delivers on our election commitment to improve assistance for young people with mental-health issues in Frankston and on the Mornington Peninsula. It is a demonstration of the hard work and effort of those who are working in my electorate to assist young people who are living with mental-health challenges.

Listening to my electorate and delivering results is what I do as the federal member for Dunkley. As I have listened to my community about the importance of supporting mental-health initiatives, I also call on the state government members along the Frankston rail line to listen to their community who are clearly opposed to things like the sky rail, which will devastate many homeowners along the line.

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