Supporting young people experiencing mental health challenges

YPARC centres provide around the clock treatment, care and support to young people aged 16-25 who are experiencing mental health challenges and/or psychological distress.

The centres are voluntary, referral-based services. Young people can continue to attend work or school, while receiving the appropriate treatment, care and support they need in a safe, home-like environment

To access YPARC services, a young person needs to have a referral from a local mental health and wellbeing service. This includes Headspace, a general practitioner or other specialist medical practitioner, such as a private psychiatrist, or be referred from an Infant, Child and Youth Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Service.

YPARC centres are live-in facilities that operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They provide care and support to young people experiencing mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression.

YPARC services are focused on young people who need short-term care in a quiet and supportive environment - giving them time to rest and focus on themselves, their recovery and wellbeing.

Young people participate in group activities, alongside tailored individual one-to-one support based on their needs and goals

Dependant on their needs, a young person can stay at a YPARC centre for up to 28 days. The average stay is 19 days.

A number of people work at YPARC centres. They can include youth workers, youth peer workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, psychiatrists and other clinicians

No. YPARC centres do not provide withdrawal or rehabilitation services.

Young people using YPARC services are experiencing mental health challenges like depression and anxiety. They benefit from support outside of a hospital or acute inpatient setting.

YPARC centres are discrete facilities that blend into the neighbourhood. Most YPARC centres have 10 bedrooms – so they’re like a big house. They maintain a quiet and tranquil environment to support young people on their recovery journey.

YPARC centres operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week and reflect a residential home, with most of the activity of people arriving and leaving the centre reflecting similar timings to other residential houses.

The final report from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System (Recommendation 21) recommended there is a YPARC centre in each Victorian region.

• Barwon South West – to be serviced by the new Geelong YPARC centre.
• Gippsland – to be serviced by the new Traralgon YPARC centre.
• Grampians – to be serviced by the new Ballarat YPARC centre.
• Hume – to be serviced by the new Shepparton YPARC centre.
• Loddon Mallee – there is an existing YPARC centre in Bendigo. The centre is being refurbished.
• North East Metro – to be serviced by the new Heidelberg YPARC centre.
• South East Metro – there are existing YPARC centres in Dandenong and Frankston. Both centres are being refurbished.

• Ballarat
  31-39 Durham Street, Newington
  Operated by: Grampians Health
   
• Geelong
  40 Little Fyans Street, South Geelong
  Operated by: Barwon Health
   
• Heidelberg
  Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital, 300 Waterdale Road, Ivanhoe
  Operated by: Austin Health
   
• Shepparton
  5-7 Numurkah Rd and 107-109 Balaclava Road, Shepparton
  Operated by: Goulburn Valley Health
   
• Traralgon
  49-63 Hyde Park Road, Traralgon
  Operated by: Latrobe Regional Hospital

The site selection process undertaken for the new YPARC centres was based on a wide range of factors.

The Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) assessed the sites against an extensive Site Evaluation Criteria. This is a technical process that requires specialist input from a site evaluation committee.

The site evaluation committee considers factors such as how the location of the proposed facility links in with the broader community and health system, site features, planning requirements, site access, proximity to related services, connections and links to public transport as well as availability for acquisition.

Given the nature of land availability, community consultation on site selection is not always possible.

YPARC centres are discrete facilities that blend into the neighbourhood. Blink and you’ll miss them!

The new centres will be designed to create a welcoming, safe and home-like environment. Each new centre will have 10 bedrooms, each complete with an ensuite bathroom. They will also include a communal kitchen, dining and living areas, breakout spaces and outdoor garden areas.

The space will provide ample room for leisure, recreational activities and visits from family and supporters.

Yes. Mental health challenges affect young people differently. This means that they can have different needs or preferences on their recovery journey.

That’s why young people with lived and living experience of mental health challenges are being engaged with to help shape the designs for the new YPARC centres.

In some areas of Victoria, young people travel significant distances to access appropriate mental health services and support.

Building YPARC centres in key regional areas gives young people better access to services closer to their family, support networks and local community – which plays a pivotal role in a young person’s recovery journey and enables them to continue their schooling or work.

Once complete, the five new YPARC centres will have the capacity to provide prevention and recovery care services to more than 900 young people each year. This will more than double current capacity.

Expanding Victoria’s YPARC centre network will help ease pressure on hospital beds by providing an alternative to hospital admission with early intervention.

Building the five new YPARC centres – and refurbishing three existing centres across Victoria will create and sustain around 200 jobs during construction.