Ballarat leaders call for urgent mental health support services

Health providers and community leaders are calling for the establishment of a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Ballarat, Victoria. While other regional hubs like Geelong, Bendigo, and Gippsland have access to these services, Ballarat remains the only major regional center in the state without a dedicated facility.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals were created following the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System to offer free, walk-in treatment for adults aged 26 and over without requiring a GP referral or formal diagnosis. Specialist provider Mind Australia has stated it is prepared to open a center in Ballarat if funding is secured.

Sean Duffy, chief executive of Ballarat Community Health, noted that the lack of support is a critical gap, stating that people are “really crying out for help.” Belinda McCullough, Mind Australia’s executive director of operations in Victoria, emphasized that rural and remote communities face disproportionate risks, including higher rates of psychological distress and suicide, due to inconsistent access to mental health services.