April 2008

Fresh focus on family mental health

The ground-breaking Bouverie Centre family mental health service finally has a home of its own, thanks to $5 million in Government funding for a purpose-built centre in Brunswick.

Visiting the new centre, Minister for Mental Health Lisa Neville said the move would help Bouverie concentrate on its key role of helping families affected by mental health issues.

The Bouverie Centre, which is attached to La Trobe University’s Faculty of Health Sciences, is managing the implementation of the Government’s Families where a Parent has a Mental Illness (FaPMI) strategy.

‘The Bouverie Centre has a history of more than 50 years of working with families affected by mental illness.

‘It has had temporary homes since it moved from its Bouverie Street premises in Carlton in 1983.

‘Most recently, it was accommodated at the Travancore child and adolescent mental health service site in Flemington.

‘Now the Bouverie Centre has its own home and the Travancore service is able to better utilise its site.

‘Both mental health services are the winners from this move.’

Other important community services are also located at the precinct—the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture and the Milparinka disability day program.

Ms Neville said the Government provides around $1.1 million per year to help fund the Bouverie Centre and has contributed extra funding for research.

‘The Bouverie Centre has a key role in clinical, teaching, training, research and consultancy programs in the mental health field, working with families and health and community services professionals and agencies.’