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North East Metro Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect

Free for family, carers and supporters.

It’s official – the North East Metro Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect is open 

On Wednesday 6 September, the Minister for Mental Health, the Honourable Gabrielle Williams, visited our North East Metro Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect service and toured the new Ivanhoe hub. Minister Williams was joined by key staff from Access Health and Community, healthAbility, Inspiro and SHARC (Self Help Addiction Resource Centre) to announce the official opening of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect services across Victoria.  

The establishment of the North East Metro Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect service, as one of eight Connect services across Victoria, was one of the key recommendations in the Victorian Mental Health Royal Commission.     

The North East Metro Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect service currently has a main hub site in Ivanhoe and two satellite sites in Lilydale and Ashburton. We will be opening more satellite sites in the coming months across the North East Metro region.  

Our services include:   

  • individual and group-based peer support   
  • family counselling (from October 2023) 
  • information, resources and practical support  
  • practical and financial assistance 
  • education sessions and group programs (from October 2023). 

The hub in Ivanhoe includes:

  • consulting rooms
  • a purpose-built kitchen and lounge space
  • a library and resource centre
  • an outdoor balcony
  • a children’s area
  • a ‘quiet’ room. 

No appointment is needed and families can drop in any time.

Call us on 8850 4150 to book an appointment.

The hub is now open Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm.

Evening and weekend hours will be added in the coming months.  

About the Connect Service 

The North East Metro Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect centre is a warm and welcoming space for family, carers, and supporters of people living with mental health or substance use concerns.  

It is a space for families to drop in and connect with each other and or our Family Peer Workers who have their own lived experience of caring for a family member with mental health or substance use concerns.   

Our services are provided in a range of ways to ensure they are accessible. We provide services in person at the hub and satellite sites, over the phone and via telehealth.  You can drop in or call us to book an appointment. We also have resources and information available via the First Stop website.

Ivanhoe Hub

No referral or appointment is needed, you can just drop in when it suits you.   

Location

Suite 3/50 Upper Heidelberg Road

Access Key

Ivanhoe hub has a customised accessibility guide. Please click to view:

Access Key

Opening hours

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Contact

(03) 8850 4150


Come to a drop-in session  

Drop-in sessions provide family members, carers, friends and supporters with access to information, peer support, and the opportunity to relax and have a cup of tea.  

No referral or appointment is needed, you can just drop in when it suits you.   

Ashburton

Where: Ashburton Camcare

Address: 4 Y Street, Ashburton 

When: Wednesdays 12pm-2pm

Lilydale   

Where: Yarra Ranges Youth Space   

Address: 5/9 Clarke St, Lilydale 3140  

When: Mondays 10am-12pm

Eltham

Where: Eltham healthAbility

Address: 917 Main Road, Eltham

When: Fridays 10am-12:30pm

More satellite sites will be added in the coming months. 

3/50 Upper Heidelberg Rd, Ivanhoe VIC 3079, Australia
4 Y Street, Ashburton VIC 3147, Australia

Learn more

Visit the AccessHC Careers page to stay up to date about employment opportunities. 

The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Healthcare System highlighted the enormous contribution made by family members, carers, friends and supporters of people living with mental health concerns; both to the people they support and for the functioning of the mental health system.

The establishment of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect centres, recommendation 31 of the report, aims to ensure better system-wide involvement of family members, carers, friends and supporters. One way this will be achieved is through the development of eight Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect centres across Victoria.

AccessHC, along with partners Self Help Addiction Recovery Centre (SHARC)healthAbility, and Inspiro are leading the establishment of the centre in the North East Metro region.  

Across the state, the organisations responsible for rolling out each of the eight centres are working closely together, along with Tandem and the Lived Experience Branch of the Department of Health, to develop fantastic programs, tailored to support the needs of families and carers in our communities. 

For further information contact mhwc@accesshc.org.au

 

Two people facing each other and talking.

Contact us

Call (03) 8850 4150 to learn more about North East Metro Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect.

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