Sometimes acknowledging that you need help and reaching out is the hardest part but on headspace Day young Australians around the country are being reminded that mental health is important and help is always available.
Today marks the inaugural National headspace Day – a national day of awareness aimed at ensuring that every young Australian knows how to get help for mental health issues if they need it, regardless of where they live.
Minister for Health Sussan Ley said intervention at the early stages of a mental illness can reduce its duration and impact.
“Approximately one-in-four young people aged between 16-24 years may experience a mental illness at some point in their young lives. Our job is to ensure that young people know that help and support is available,” Minister Ley said.
“headspace has been a vital part of the Australian Government’s preventative health services for the last ten years, providing teenagers and young adults with affordable, youth-friendly mental health services through the headspace network.
“During that time, headspace and the free confidential online and phone service eheadspace have provided support and advice to more than 260,000 young people.
“This annual day provides a great opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of early intervention in our mental health, and I congratulate headspace for its new initiative.”
To mark National headspace Day, Australians are being encouraged to wear an ‘access all areas’ wristband and show their support on social media, using the hashtag #headspace. headspace centres across the country will also be hosting community events and open days.
headspace, as well as providing mental health services, also offers a range of additional advice and support services to young people on physical health, work and study support, and alcohol and substance abuse.
“The Australian Government, during the recent election campaign, committed to investing $20 million for an additional ten headspace centres with the aim to increase services in rural and regional areas,” Minister Ley said.
This continued investment will bring the total number of headspace centres to 110 around the country by 2019.
For more information on youth mental health services or National headspace Day, please headspace Day website..
