The mental health of your family is a priority. For this reason, Better Place Australia offers a Family Mental Health Support Service near Hastings (FMHSS) and across the Mornington Peninsula.
Better Place Australia mental health counselling in Frankston is specifically designed for children, young people and their families who are showing signs of mental health issues or at risk of developing difficulties with mental health.
The service also supports families and caregivers to provide early intervention with the goal of improving mental health outcomes.
If you live in Hastings, it’s easy to get to Better Place Australia. It is located in Frankston at Suite 7, 435 Nepean Highway between Wells Street and Ross Smith Avenue.
With the Stony Point train line conveniently stopping in Hastings, simply alight at Frankston Station and the office is a short distance from the station. It’s also a short walk from the bus interchange.
What does the Family Mental Health Support Service near Hastings do?
If you’re noticing early signs of difficulties with your children’s mental health, it is important to be proactive and contact Better Place Australia early, to avoid matters getting worse. Call 1800 639 523 and enquire about accessing the Family Mental Health Support Service near Hastings.
This service provides early intervention individual support for children, young people and families.
This includes;
- supporting the development of healthy coping strategies, communication skills and resilience
- increasing the awareness with children, young people, and their families
- preventing ongoing mental health concerns
- facilitating service coordination and access to other services for the individual where need be.
Participation in group programs also helps to bring about a positive outcome. Better Place Australia group programs are a safe space for children, families and carers to receive support with mental health problems. Group programs aid in the development of healthy coping strategies and behaviours, alongside emotional awareness and effective communication skills.
Individual case management directly to the young person is also available with the involvement of a family member or carer.
Additional specialist services can sometimes be necessary to help break through underlying problems preventing the child or family from moving forward in a healthy way. Our practitioners can identify any specialist services that may be needed and support young people and their families to access these services.
This includes referrals for:
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- family violence
- drug issues
- alcohol issues
- specialist teams for crisis or sexual assault services.
Who is eligible for this free service?
An individual does not need to be formally diagnosed with a mental illness to access mental health counselling in Frankston. The service is available to:
- 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 Hastings, Frankston or anywhere else in the Mornington Peninsula local government areas.
Our practitioners use a whole of family approach. They are not able to work with a child or young person without the involvement of a family member or carer.
Who can refer?
Referring is easy. Ways to refer include:
- self-referral
- referred by an external agency
- referred by a school within the Frankston & Mornington Peninsula local government areas.
How much does the service cost?
The Family Mental Health Support Service near Hastings is an initiative of the Australian Government. Better Place Australia is funded to provide this service free of charge to those who meet eligibility criteria.
Availability
This service is available across the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula region.
Enquiries
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.
