The Department of Health is to establish Head to Health services around the State at a cost of $107.9 million.
According to the Department, the aim is to set up and run 20 services for adults and two new services for children and families, providing additional access to mental health care and wellbeing support.
In a statement the Department said the services would complement the existing network of health, mental health and wellbeing services in Queensland, ensuring easier access to a comprehensive range of mental health, alcohol and other drugs services.
“New services for adults in Ipswich and Kingaroy will be operating later this year and will be followed in 2024 by services in Cairns, Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Logan and the Redlands area,” the Department said.
“An additional 12 locations for adult services across Queensland will be announced following further consultations.”
The Department said new Head to Health kids’ services would open on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane later this year following a co-design process with community.
The Brisbane service would also have a presence in the Logan-Beaudesert and Moreton Bay Regions.
“These services will provide a range of specialist medical and allied health services for children under 12 experiencing developmental, mental health, behavioural or emotional challenges, and their families,” the Department said.
“They will be fully Government-funded and provided by multi-disciplinary care teams, including psychiatrists, psychologists, paediatricians, nurses, social workers, peer support workers and First Nations health workers.”
It said Head to Health services were designed in consultation with people with lived experience, and local communities and service providers, including Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, to ensure they were tailored to local needs and built on existing services and capacity.
It said the services would be rolled out progressively, with all expected to be operational by 2027.
