September 2009

New $3.1 million mental health centre for Ringwood

Ringwood and surrounding community residents are set to benefit from a $3.1 million Government funding boost to establish a new service to support people with mental health issues.

Mental Health Minister Lisa Neville visited the site of the new Prevention and Recovery Centre (PARC) in Bona Street, turning the sod to mark the beginning of construction.

The Ringwood PARC will be a two-storey, 10-bed unit operated by a partnership of the clinical mental health services at Eastern Health and the Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation Support Service MIND (formerly the Richmond Fellowship).

It will be located next to the Eastern Health Community Care Unit.

Ms Neville said the facility would be of great benefit to local residents.

‘This new facility will expand the range of mental health services for people living in the region and play a vital role in assisting people with mental illness on the road to recovery—acting as a bridge between inpatient treatment and community care.

‘It means people can avoid the need for admission or be discharged from hospital and yet still receive intensive support in areas such as managing medication and symptoms, understanding their illness, improving living skills, ensuring links to employment and housing opportunities,’ she said.