Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

As members of parliament, many of us get to go to different launches and openings, but one recently in the electorate of Herbert really stood out for me, and I think it's particularly important that we highlight it today. A few weeks ago I was joined by the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention to officially launch Townsville's Head to Health centre. Head to Health is an incredible model for mental health treatment and prevention. Most people are quite familiar with headspace, which is for 12- to 25-year-olds. Head to Health is similar, but it's designed for adults. As someone who's suffered with mental illness and poor mental health in the past, I know this will be, absolutely, a life-changing place—for people who are not travelling well to be able to go to get the support that they need. It's a one-stop shop for people in the community who are experiencing mental ill-health to get linked into the support that they need.

The centre is staffed by mental health professionals with different skill sets to address the different needs of people who walk through the door. Whether it's a mental health nurse, a counsellor, a psychologist or a psychiatrist, staff at the Head to Health centre can pretty much help anyone with any mental health concerns. It's an incredible model, one where you're greeted at the front door by someone who immediately comes along beside you, where you are, and helps determine what your next steps are. It's about putting the person first and working with them by walking beside them. It is a 'no wrong door' approach, which means no-one gets turned away. Their individual situation is assessed and the right treatment options are worked out. The best thing about Head to Health is it costs the individual nothing. It's absolutely free. Having it free breaks down one of the biggest barriers for people when dealing with poor mental health, something which is, unfortunately, becoming more and more common.

This is a part of our government's $2.3 billion investment in the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan. The plan is about delivering significant reform of the mental health system and ensuring all Australians have access to high-quality, person-centred care. Not only is Townsville's Head to Health centre doing that, but it's making it extremely accessible. Locals are able to drop in when it suits them, between 10 am and 8 pm from Monday to Friday, or between midday and 8 pm on weekends and public holidays. We are reducing the cost to zero, making it accessible for everyone, because there's nothing more important than your health, and that includes your mental health. That's something that I know firsthand.

In closing, I wanted to say that it's a good reminder, for us here and for people around the country, that it's okay not to be okay, but it's not okay to suffer in silence. Head to Health in Townsville will be somewhere where people can get the help that they need.

See this speech in context