Community based care 11 February 2021

More support for women's mental health on the way

More support for women requiring treatment and care for mental illness is one step closer, with a site selected for a new Women’s Prevention and Recovery Care (PARC) centre in Melbourne’s west.

Plans for the new $8.4 million facility adjacent to Sunshine Hospital were unveiled this month. The 12-bed facility will provide vital mental health services to women in Melbourne’s northwest metropolitan region.

The new facility has been designed to create a self and welcoming environment, and will include:

private bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms
communal kitchen, dining and living areas
breakout spaces
outdoor garden for recreational activities and family visits.

Operated by NorthWestern Mental Health, the Women’s PARC centre will be the first in Victoria to offer accommodation for accompanying dependents, with up to three beds available for young children.

PARCs provide vital care for people who no longer need hospital treatment. They also reduce pressure on hospital emergency departments by providing early intervention treatment and care.

There is currently only one specialist women’s PARC in Victoria – a 10-bed facility in Springvale. The second facility in Sunshine will help reduce the increased demand for mental health services and take the total number PARCs across Melbourne and regional Victoria to 25.

The program is part of the Victorian Government’s $325.7 million commitment to mental health outlined in the 10-year Mental Health Plan.

A tender phase to appoint a builder to construct the state-of-the-art facility will get underway in the new year, with the facility expected to open in 2022.

Learn more about the Women’s Prevention and Recovery Care (PARC) centre redevelopment via our dedicated project page.

New prevention and recovery care site announcement

Transcript

Image: aerial artist impression of Women’s PARC sited within larger Sunshine Hospital location and surrounds.

Text: The Victorian Government is investing $8.4 million to build a new 12-bed Prevention and Recovery Care (PARC) facility for women experiencing mental illness.

Image: artist impression of an outside play area and garden at the planned facility.

Text: Located at Sunshine Hospital, it is the first PARC facility in Victoria to take a family-setting approach to accommodate women and their young children.

Image: artist impression of women inside kitchen and dining space within the PARC, with views to outside courtyard areas.

Text: With around-the-clock care, the Women’s PARC facility will provide short-term treatment and support in a home-like setting for women who are unwell or recovering from mental illness.

Image: artist impression of a woman seated on a bed in one of the facility’s bedrooms, with view to outside lawned area.

Text: The facility has been designed to create a safe and welcoming environment with private bedrooms complete with ensuite bathrooms.

Image: a repeat of an artist impression of women inside kitchen and dining space within the PARC, with views to outside courtyard areas.

Text: A communal kitchen, dining and living areas, breakout spaces and an outdoor garden will provide ample space for leisure, recreational activities and family visits.

Image: repeat of the aerial artist impression of Women’s PARC sited within larger Sunshine Hospital location and surrounds.

Text: Construction is expected to get underway in mid-2021.

Image: The closing slide is the Victorian Health and Human Services Building Authority logo, the web address vhhsba.vic.gov.au and the Victoria State Government logo. 

End of transcript