THE mental health and wellbeing of young people throughout Perth is set to benefit from the opening of a new early intervention centre.
Headspace Perth, located on Main Street in Osborne Park, aims to help youth aged between 12 to 15 years who are facing mental health challenges.
North Metropolitan Medicare chairman and local GP Professor Alistair Vickery said the decision to base the new centre in the northern suburbs was based on a range of factors, including unmet community need, population size and growth.
“Facilitating access to youth mental health services are of particular importance as a great deal of mental health problems and disorders can begin in adolescence,” Professor Vickery said.
“Early intervention and treatment can significantly benefit a young person’s learning, personal development and self-esteem.”
Free counselling, general and sexual health services, education and employment and drug and alcohol services are some of the programs the centre offered.
Centre chief executive Chris Tanti said the centre would give young people experiencing issues such as depression and anxiety someone to talk to. The centre is open Mondays to Fridays from 9am to 5pm.