Better Place Australia Family Mental Health Support Service on the Mornington Peninsula (FMHSS) supports children and young people who are showing signs of, or are at risk of, developing difficulties with their mental health.
It also supports their families and caregivers by empowering them to provide early intervention with the goal of improving mental health outcomes.
The Better Place Australia location on the Mornington Peninsula is in Frankston at Suite 7, 435 Nepean Highway between Wells Street and Ross Smith Avenue.
With the convenience of the Stony Point train line and local buses, the office is an easy walk from Frankston train station and the bus interchange.
What does the Family Mental Health Support Service on the Mornington Peninsula do?
If you are seeing early signs of difficulties with your family mental health, it is time to act. The Family Mental Health Support Service on the Mornington Peninsula can provide early intervention individual support for the children, young people and the family.
In particular, this service:
- supports the development of healthy coping strategies, communication skills and resilience
- aims to increase the awareness with children, young people, and their families
- aims to prevent ongoing mental health concerns
- facilitates service coordination and access to other services for the individual.
There are also group programs that the children, young people, parents and caregivers can take part in. These programs are designed to be a safe space for the development of healthy coping strategies and behaviours, alongside emotional awareness and effective communication skills.
As a part of our free mental health counselling in Frankston, we can provide individual case management directly to the young person with the involvement of a family member or carer.
Sometimes other specialist services are required to help address the underlying issues. Our practitioners will support young people and their families to access these services, including referrals for family violence, drug and alcohol issues, or specialist teams for crisis or sexual assault services.
How much does it cost?
Mental health counselling in Frankston through Better Place Australia is free for those who meet eligibility criteria.
Who is eligible to access the service?
Thanks to government funding, this is a free service for:
- children or young people showing signs of, or are at risk of, developing difficulties with mental health
- a family member or caregiver of a child or young person actively engaged with the FMHSS team
- those who reside in Frankston or on the Mornington Peninsula.
It’s important to know that our service is a whole of family approach.
Practitioners are not able to work with a child or young person without the involvement of a family member or carer.
The person does not need to be formally diagnosed with a mental illness to be able to access family mental health support.
Who can refer?
There are several ways referral can take place. You can self-refer or be referred by an external agency or school within the Frankston & Mornington Peninsula local government areas.
Availability
This service is available across the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula region.
Learn more about the mental health and well-being of your child
If you’d like to learn more about mental health and well-being in children and family units, visit the Centre for Better Relationships website.
Centre for Better Relationships is the research and advocacy arm of Better Place Australia, with resources for you to learn more.
Read sector news articles such as: Understanding Child Development; and Highlighting the Imperative of Investing in Children and Young People’s Safety.
There are also learning videos you can watch, such as: Preventing Emotional Abuse of Children; and Supporting Children Who Have Disclosed Trauma.
By learning more, you will be better equipped to protect your children and support them during tough times.
