CAMHS Southside staff – including senior manager Kirsten Stafford, operational director Kalvinder Bains, clinical manager Sam Jones and team manager Carrie Coghlan – were thrilled to show Mental Health Minister Emma Davidson (right) the service’s new location. Photo: Claire Fenwicke.
Children and adolescents, along with new and expectant mothers, have a new place to access mental health services in Canberra’s south.
More than $5 million has been spent to move the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Southside from its ageing Callum Offices location to a new space close to Woden’s Town Centre.
The retrofitted space is one-and-a-half times larger than the old facility, allowing for more services to be provided in the ACT’s south.
Mental Health Minister Emma Davidson said it was important that services providing therapeutic care for moderate to serious mental health conditions had modern and appropriate spaces for treatment.
“Overall, the demand for therapeutic care for mental health conditions is increasing, particularly for young people,” she said.
“We know that the demand for services is growing, and it’s really important that we’re able to meet that demand as it continues to grow.”
About 350 young people and new and expectant mothers were accessing the service in its previous location.
Ms Davidson said demand for such services was continuing to increase due to several factors, including lingering impacts of worry and social isolation from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as recent housing and other cost-of-living pressures.
“All of these things take quite a while to work through and have a really big impact on young people’s lives,” she said.
“We know that if we can change some of those social determinants – so what’s happening in young people’s lives, around having a safe place to live, good family support, knowing we can meet everyone’s needs and feeling like the world is going to be a safer and better place – that will have a positive impact on people’s mental wellbeing.”
CAMHS South staff are elated to have a new space to provide therapy and treatment.
Along with more consulting rooms, the Bowes Place address has space for more group sessions such as art therapy, a parents’ room and a low sensory room for emotional regulation.
CAMHS South team manager Carrie Coghlan said it was about being able to meet demand and reduce barriers to services, and that providing a more welcoming space meant people would be more likely to seek help.
“Having a brand-new, purpose-designed facility, which was planned in collaboration with our clientele and their support people, will enhance the overall experience of those we care for,” she said.
“It’s just being able to make them feel like this space is for them to work on their mental health recovery.”
Clinical manager Sam Jones agreed, emphasising the change would be beneficial for staff and clients alike.
“Mental health journeys can take many different forms and having all of these tools at our disposal, and having such a welcoming, purpose-built environment, is just going to be so good for our young people that we work with,” he said.
The space is better located to amenities, public transport, public parking and the future Woden light-rail stop.
Improved soundproofing has been added to the space, along with a quiet room for staff to conduct activities that need additional privacy, a dedicated staff breakout room and updated safety systems.
The new site opened its doors on Monday, 22 January.
More information about the CAMHS community can be found through Canberra Health Services. Information on other mental health services available in the ACT for people under the age of 25 can be accessed through MindMap.
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