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About our mental health services
You can access Murrumbidgee LHD specialist mental health services both in hospital (acute inpatient services) and in the community (specialist community mental health services).
We can also provide specialist support for those who have mental illness combined with other illnesses or conditions – for example, severe behaviour problems related to dementia.
Mental Health inpatient services are provided in a purpose-built facility on the campus of Wagga Wagga Base Hospital. There are four separate units within this facility:
- High Dependency Unit
- Low Dependency Unit
- Recovery Unit
- Older Persons Mental Health Unit.
Our teams work closely with local GPs, community organisations and other health and social services. Our clinicians are from a variety of professions, including:
- doctors
- nurses
- psychologists
- social workers
- occupational therapists
- Aboriginal mental health workers.
Other important members of our team include consumer peer workers, and family and carer support workers.
For those who are experiencing less severe or long lasting mental ill health, there are a range of services available across Murrumbidgee LHD to help you.
We provide inpatient services if you are experiencing very high levels of mental distress and have to spend some time in hospital.
We can ensure you get the treatment and support you need to recover and help you get well enough to return home.
About our acute inpatient services
We offer a welcoming and safe environment with two main areas:
- 8 single bedrooms for those who need high levels of support (the High Dependency Unit)
- 22 single bedrooms (the Low Dependency Unit) for those who need less intensive support.
Each of the areas have lounge and dining areas, as well as activity areas and a safe outdoor space. There is a gym in the Low Dependency Unit.
Referrals to use our services are accepted from all Emergency Departments, GPs, other services in the community, or you or your family can make your own referral.
How we can help you
Coming into hospital can be a really distressing time. We aim to:
- welcome you to our safe space
- support you as you recover
- work collaboratively with you, your family, carers and friends towards the best mental outcome for you
- plan for your leaving our facility and returning home with the right support in place to keep you well.
We have a great team of staff to do this who have many different skills and training and who work together to come up with the treatment and support that fits with your needs. These include:
- consultant psychiatrists and registrars (doctors)
- nurses
- social workers
- occupational therapists
- psychologists
- drug and alcohol nurses
- rehabilitation assistants
- consumer peer workers and advocates
- dieticians
- pharmacists
- family and carer support workers.
We run engaging individual and group activity programs to help you build skills that will support your mental health recovery.
We work with other services and organisations in the community who are able to assist you such as Wellways, Partners In Recovery, Aboriginal liaison services, drug and alcohol services, GPs and community mental health teams, so that you have ongoing connections and support.
We want to continually improve our service and always welcome feedback from you and from your family or carers.
Accessline - 1800 800 944 is a free phone service staffed by mental health practitioners and operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
You don't have to currently be in crisis to receive support from Accessline. If you are in urgent need of support to help you keep safe, go to your nearest Emergency Department or call 000.
Accessline is not a counselling service, but we can connect you with a range of services available in the Murrumbidgee LHD region that offer support for emotional and mental health concerns.
Who can call Accessline
Accessline is available to anyone living in the Murrumbidgee LHD region. You can call for yourself or on behalf of someone you're concerned about.
The service can provide advice and assistance to:
- People experiencing issues with their own mental health or drug and/or alcohol use.
- Carers and people supporting loved ones with a mental health and/or drug or alcohol issue.
- People who are worried about the mental health of someone they know.
- Health professionals (including GPs, service providers and emergency services workers).
What Accessline can help with
The trained staff at Accessline can:
- talk to you about your concerns and provide advice
- give you information about where to get support in your local area
- make a referral for you to your local community mental health drug and alcohol service
- suggest strategies to reduce and manage your distress until your appointment
- guide you to further support if you are in crisis or feel unsafe.
Accessline staff are trained mental health practitioners who can give you some advice on coping strategies and ways to help you work through your emotion at the time and feel safer.
Once you are feeling able to cope, Accessline may make a referral for you to get further support or give you information about local services that can help.
If after talking with you we are worried about your immediate safety, we might ask you to go to your nearest Emergency Department, or we can call 000 to help you.
What happens if a referral is made
After you have spoken to Accessline and we have made a referral for you, your information will be sent to your local community mental health, drug and alcohol service. They will contact you directly to arrange an appointment.
When you call,they organise services while you are on the line. They give support and helpful advice to you during the call.
- Person with experience calling Accessline for themselves
We can support you if you're experiencing high levels of distress as a result of:
- severe or complex and long term mental illness
- drug and alcohol use.
The specialist community mental health service provide assessments, support and treatments, usually between the hours of 8.30am to 5pm weekdays.
We are based in 6 centres across Murrumbidgee LHD:
- Deniliquin Community Health Centre
- Griffith Community Health Centre
- Temora Health Service
- Tumut Health Service
- Wagga Wagga Community Care
/departments-and-agencies/nsw-health/service-directory/griffith-community-health-centre
Specialist drug and alcohol services are also available.
Our mental health team works across a number of specialist areas, including:
- adult mental health
- child and adolescent mental health
- mental health for older people
- youth mental health
- perinatal mental health - for women who are pregnant and mothers of children under 2 years old
- consumer advocacy and peer support
- drug and alcohol services
- aboriginal mental health
- family and carer support.
We work closely with local GPs, community organisations and other health and social services to support you to improve and maintain your mental health.
Our specialist teams are located across Murrumbidgee LHD:
Community Mental Health Service centre | Towns and communities covered by the centralised service |
---|---|
Deniliquin | Barham, Barooga, Berrigan, Blighty, Booligal, Booroorban, Bullatale, Burraboi, Bunnaloo, Caldwell, Calimo, Carrathool, Conargo, Coree, Cummeraganja, Cunninyeuk, Deniliquin, Dhuragoon, Dilpurra, Finley, Gonn, Goodnight, Hay, Jerilderie, Koraleigh, Kyalite, Mairjimmy, Mayrung, Mathoura, Moama, Moolpa, Moonahcullah, Morago, Moulamein, Murray Downs, Niemur, Pretty Pine, Speewa, Stony Crossing, Tantonan, Thule, Tocumwal, Tooleybuc, Tullakool, Tuppal, Wakool, Wamba Wamba, Wanganella, Warragoon, Womboota |
Griffith | Beelangara, Booligal, Darlington Point, Goolgowi, Griffith, Grong Grong, Hillston, Leeton, Merriwagga, Narrandera, Rankin Springs, Wamoon, Yanco, Yenda |
Temora | Temora Shire, Bland Shire, Junee Shire, Coolamon Shire |
Tumut | Tumut Shire, Tumbarumba Shire, Gundagai Shire |
Wagga Wagga | Lockhart, The Rock, Wagga Wagga, Uranquinty |
Young | Bethungra, Boorowa, Cootamundra, Cunningar, Frogmore, Harden, Koorowatha, Murringo, Murrumburrah, Reids Flat, Rugby, Rye Park, Stockinbingal, Taylors Flat, Wallendbeen, Wombat, Young |
Albury Wodonga Health provide community mental health and drug and alcohol services to the Albury Wodonga Region including Culcairn, Henty, Holbrook, Burrumbuttock, Urana, Oaklands and Corowa.
How we can help you
We can help with:
- mental health assessments to help work out what your needs are
- developing a care plan to support you to improve your mental health
- providing counselling and other therapies and treatments
- providing specialist consultation services for example access to a psychiatrist if needed
- referring you onto our specialist inpatient services and to our Recovery Unit
- providing support and treatment for drug and alcohol dependence
Getting older brings its share of challenges, and there are lots of reasons that can make it difficult to stay mentally healthy and strong.
Our Older Persons Mental Health Unit is located in the Health Services Hub beside Wagga Wagga Base Hospital. This service is specifically aimed at older people and caters to individual needs in an empowering and caring way.
We have 24 beds:
- 8 beds for our Transitional Behavioural Assessment and Intervention Service (T-BASIS) for people with severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD)
- 12 beds in the Older Person's Mental Health Unit for people over 65 needing short term hospital care due to mental illness and
- 4 beds in the High Dependency Unit.
Our team includes:
- doctors
- nurses
- occupational therapists
- social workers
- psychologists
- diversional therapists
- family/carer support worker.
How we can help you
- Our team completes a thorough assessment of your condition and circumstances before planning the approach to any treatment with you and your family and carers.
- We listen to you and we work together to determine the best plan for you.
- We provide you with education and support.
- We can refer you to services in your community that can support you at home.
- We always listen to your feedback to help us improve our facility and the care we provide.
Our Recovery Unit Program is a unique 8 week residential course located at Wagga Wagga Health Service, which provides a wide range of supports and skills development for people with a mental illness who are ready to take the next steps in their recovery journey.
The purpose built unit has a welcoming and friendly feel with spaces designed to take part in workshops and group activities, as well as spend time working individually with our recovery specialists. We welcome people from anywhere in the Murrumbidgee LHD catchment area.
How we can help you
This program was developed from consumer feedback and provides psychoeducation on a wide variety of subjects that will help you the build the skills and strengths you need to make progress with your recovery. You are at the centre of everything that happens in this program and you are encouraged to identify your own goals, write your own reports and even run your own meetings.
The program includes:
- practical living skills
- healthy eating
- building self esteem
- assertiveness
- managing your mental health
- social anxiety
- men’s and women’s health groups
- psychological therapies
- employment.
Our team works together to provide professional support, care coordination and guidance during your stay with us. Our team includes:
- social workers
- occupational therapists
- nurses
- psychiatrists
- psychologists
- peer support workers
- dietitians
- pharmacists.
Mental Health Recovery Unit Referral Form (PDF) (PDF 962.25KB)
The Mental Health Emergency Consultation Service (MHECS) is a 24 hour a day and 7 day a week service. Our role is to provide specialist mental health support in all of the emergency departments across Murrumbidgee LHD to people who are experiencing high levels of mental distress or who are experiencing feelings of suicide.
How we can help you
Once the staff in the Emergency Department have spoken to you and agree that you need the MHECS service, one of our clinicians will speak to you to work out what the next steps are so that you can receive the best support and treatment.
Our Mental Health Emergency Consultation Service will:
- carry out a comprehensive mental health assessment to help us plan the next steps.
- be sensitive to your current and past experiences, points of distress and cultural considerations to help keep you safe and supported
- help you to work towards the best mental health outcome for you
- consult where needed with psychiatrists, with community mental health teams, with other experts, and with any family members that you may want involved
- put together a discharge plan for when you leave the Emergency Department for follow up by the relevant service provider
- make referrals to the community mental health teams or the primary health network providers or GPs
- refer you to hospital-based services if needed.
MyStep to Mental Wellbeing provides a range of services aimed at supporting people wanting to improve their emotional and mental wellbeing. The program uses a stepped care model, which ensures that the services are matched to the needs of the person receiving them.
We provide low, medium and high needs services, which can be increased or decreased as your needs change. This ensures the right level of support is available to you at the right time.
We provide services both face to face and via virtual care (telehealth), meaning we can connect with you in a way that suits you and your circumstances.
MyStep to Mental Wellbeing — Western Sector provides services in the following Local Government Areas:
- Lachlan
- Carrathool
- Griffith
- Leeton
- Narrandera
- Murray River
- Edward River
- Berrigan
- Federation
- Lockhart
- Greater Hume.
MyStep to Mental Wellbeing is made possible by funding from the Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network through the Australian Government’s PHN Program.
MyStep to Mental Wellbeing services
Counselling and education - MyStep to Mental Wellbeing provides low intensity mental health support and education to people with a mild mental health condition that is concerning but not overwhelming. You may benefit from a few sessions, less frequently. This service is available for people of all ages.
Team care - For people with more severe mental health issues our team care clinicians will work with you to establish independence and ensure that you are provided with the supports you need, when you need them. This will involve meeting with you regularly as well as liaising with other professionals in your care team. This service is available for people of all ages.
Peer support - Our lived experience workers can, using their own experiences and without judgement, walk along side you to navigate your own recovery journey. Our peer support workers are living examples of recovery and hope.
In-reach to residential aged care facilities (RACF) - Our specialist team works directly with RACFs to support people entering and living in aged care facilities with issues including adjustment, grief and loss, depression and anxiety.
How to refer
To access MyStep to Mental Wellbeing, contact the MPHN Central Access and Navigation Service:
- Call: 1800 931 603
- Email: MLHD-MyStep@health.nsw.gov.au
You can refer yourself or someone you care for. Some services require a Mental Health Treatment Plan.
Safe Havens are a warm and welcoming space for people experiencing thoughts of suicide.
It’s a place you can come to if you need some peace and quiet, a chat with someone who understands what you’re going through, or some calming activities to reduce the intensity of your suicidal thinking.
We have tea and coffee, board games, sensory activities, even a massage chair.
We can also help you find ongoing help, and help you make a plan to move forward.
When you come to Safe Haven, you'll be welcomed by a peer worker who has had their own experiences with mental health and can relate to how you are feeling.
Our service is free and you can just drop in. All ages are welcome. If you're under 16, we'll just need to get permission from a parent or carer.
Opening hours are between 2pm - 9pm Thursday to Monday (closed Tuesday and Wednesday)
When Safe Haven is not open, if you or someone you know is experiencing high levels of mental distress or feeling suicidal, please go to the nearest Emergency Department as soon as possible and they will help you access our Mental Health Emergency Services.
The Farming Community Counselling service is a free and private service for people who live and work on farms or in farming communities. It is flexible and user friendly. It is responsive to the needs and situation of each person. For example, we meet with people in their homes, in the paddock, at a café or wherever it is most comfortable.
What we do
The service aims to reduce the mental and emotional harm of climate events, such as drought and flood and improve rural people’s mental wellbeing by,
- Intervening before things get really tough.
- Single session brief interventions or
- Supportive counselling for up to six months (reviewed every 13 weeks).
- Support for individuals, couples and families.
- Helping people build their toolkit of coping skills.
- Linking people with other services and supports depending on their needs
- Attend and organise events to promote mental wellbeing in rural communities
Where are we
The Farm community Counsellors are based in Albury, Deniliquin, Griffith and Temora and cover the following towns or regions
Counsellor Location | Towns and Regions Covered |
---|---|
Albury Phone: 0436 942 104 | Culcairn, Henty, Holbrook, Burrumbuttock, Urana, Oaklands and Corowa |
Deniliquin Phone: 0436 811 692 | Barham, Barooga, Berrigan, Blighty, Booligal, Booroorban, Bullatale, Burraboi, Bunnaloo, Caldwell, Calimo, Carrathool, Conargo, Coree, Cummeraganja, Cunninyeuk, Deniliquin, Dhuragoon, Dilpurra, Finley, Gonn, Goodnight, Hay, Jerilderie, Koraleigh, Kyalite, Mairjimmy, Mayrung, Mathoura, Moama, Moolpa, Moonahcullah, Morago, Moulamein, Murray Downs, Niemur, Pretty Pine, Speewa, Stony Crossing, Tantonan, Thule, Tocumwal, Tooleybuc, Tullakool, Tuppal, Wakool, Wamba Wamba, Wanganella, Warragoon, Womboota |
Griffith Phone: 0428 254 783 | Beelangara, Booligal, Darlington Point, Goolgowi, Griffith, Grong Grong, Hillston, Leeton, Merriwagga, Narrandera, Rankin Springs, Wamoon, Yanco, Yenda |
Temora Phone: 0436 811 690 | Temora Shire, Bland Shire, Junee Shire, Coolamon Shire |
Service contacts
Service | Address/Location | Contact |
---|---|---|
Mental Health Emergency Consultation Service | Visit your nearest hospital Emergency Department to access this service. If your life is in danger call 000 now. | |
Acute inpatient services Recovery Unit | Mental Health Recovery Unit 260 -280 Edward Street, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650 PO Box 159 Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 | Phone: (02) 5943 1700 |
Specialist Community Mental Health Service | Deniliquin Specialist Community Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Service | Phone: (03) 5882 2700 |
Griffith Specialist Community Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Service | Phone: (02) 6961 0100 | |
Temora Health Service | Phone: (02) 6980 0200 | |
Tumut Health Service | Phone: (02) 6947 0800 | |
Wagga Wagga Community Care | Phone: (02) 5943 1600 | |
Young Health Service | Phone: (02) 6382 8888 | |
Albury Wodonga Health | Phone: (02) 6058 4444 | |
Farming Community Counselling Service | Albury | Phone: 0436 942 104 |
Deniliquin | Phone: 0436 811 692 | |
Griffith | Phone: 0428 254 783 | |
Temora | Phone: 0436 811 690 | |
Older Person's Specialist Mental Health Unit | Health Services Hub Level 2 260 Edward St, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 | Phone: (02) 5943 1700 |
MyStep to Mental Wellbeing | Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network | Phone: 1800 931 603 |
Safe Haven Griffith | 81 Kooyoo St Griffith, NSW 2680 | Phone: 0497 447 955 |
Safe Haven Wagga Wagga | 7 Yathong St Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650 | Phone: 0497 422 937 |
Find a mental health service
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Virtual care appointments
Virtual care (telehealth), uses technology to offer patients and consumers a convenient way to connect with health professionals. Virtual care has many benefits for patients, carers and health professionals. Learn more about virtual care.
Join your mental health, drug and alcohol virtual care appointment