Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals

Help is here

Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals are a free service for adults aged 26 and over. They provide treatment, care and support close to home.

All support is free and you don’t need a referral from your doctor or a Medicare card.

Find your nearest Mental Health and Wellbeing Local

Support is available in a range of ways that’s within reach: walk in, call or someone can come to you.

If a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local is not yet open near you, you can call to talk to someone about your needs - and be connected to a Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub or other supports that are close to where you live.

Find your local support:

See the Department of Health website to find out which organisations operate the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local closest to you.

Information for Area Mental Health Services, community mental health services, and primary and secondary care providers can also be found on the Department of Health website.

About Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals

Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals support Victorian adults to get mental health and wellbeing treatment, care and support closer to home.

Support is free, and you don’t need a referral from your doctor or health professional. You also don’t need a mental health care plan or Medicare card.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals are for anyone aged 26 years and over experiencing mental health or wellbeing concerns. This includes anyone who is experiencing mental health and substance use concerns at the same time.

If you are a family member, carer, friend or supporter of someone with mental health concerns, you can also access support to help you in your caring role, or for your own mental health needs.

Getting support

Getting the support you need is free and easy through Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals.

On your first visit to a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local, you will talk to a mental health worker (this may be in person, over the phone or someone can come to you). This worker will simply ask you “How can we help?”

This worker will focus on listening and understanding your concerns so they can work with you and, if you are comfortable, your family, carers and supporters, to design a care plan that meets your goals and preferences.

Your plan might include a mix of supports and therapies based on your needs. Some of these supports might be provided on your first visit, and others on later visits. This may involve connecting you to other health and social services if you need them.

Peer workers will also be available to guide and support you as well as your family, carers and supporters.

If you wish to remain anonymous you can call and ask for support without providing your personal details.

Support for young people

If you or someone you support is between 12-25 years, it is recommended that you contact your local headspace for mental health and wellbeing support. To access headspace services, please see the headspace website.

If you are a young person, Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals may provide support in some situations, such as:

• you contact a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local looking for help
• you are having difficulty getting support through headspace or a hospital and need immediate assistance
• you are a family member, carer, friend or supporter of a person receiving support from a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local.

If you or someone you support is younger than 12, please visit or contact the Children’s Health and Wellbeing Locals. They provide free health and wellbeing support for children aged 0 to 11 and their families and carers.

See the Children’s Health and Wellbeing Locals webpage on Better Health Channel for more information.

Looking after yourself as a family member, carer or support person

All services are family and carer inclusive and will provide education and support to families, carers and supporters of individuals experiencing mental illness and/or substance use concerns.

Whether you would like to receive help for you in your caring role, or for your own mental health and wellbeing needs – you will be able to get the care, support and advice you need, when you need it.

You can also visit Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect. It’s a service dedicated to those who are supporting people living with mental health and substance use challenges or psychological distress. Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect centres are now open across eight Victorian regions.

See the Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect webpage on Better Health Channel for more information.

Transforming Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing system

The way mental health and wellbeing services are delivered in Victoria is being redesigned to create a mental health and wellbeing system that provides holistic treatment, care and support for all Victorians.

Local Adult and Older Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing Services, now known as Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals are one of the flagship reforms recommended by the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

If you would like to learn more about mental health reform in Victoria, see Mental health and wellbeing reform.

If you would like to stay updated on the establishment of Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals, see Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals on the Department of Health website.

Transitioning your support from a Hub to a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local

As the Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals are established, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs (Hub/s) in the same area will slowly phase down.

People aged 26 years and over who are being supported by a Hub in an area where there is a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local will have the option to transition across to a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local or another appropriate provider.

Staff from the Hubs and Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals will support and work with consumers and their families, carers and supporters to develop and implement a consumer centred transition plan that will focus on achieving continuity of care for people transitioning from a Hub to a Mental Health and Wellbeing Local.

Crisis support

Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals are not crisis services.

In an emergency which is life-threatening or where there is immediate risk of harm to anyone, call Triple Zero (000). For 24-hour crisis support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

More information

Delivered in partnership with the Australian Government, as part of the Head to Health initiative.