Hobsons Bay council is working with the state and federal governments to seek funding for specialised youth mental health services in the inner west.
Council said its community campaign aims to highlight the lack of mental health services for young people in the inner west.
Young people and the Hobsons Bay community recently shared their experiences and frustrations in accessing local, affordable and timely youth mental health services.
Council said the key themes that emerged were the affordability of services, long wait times, and the need for more practitioners and specialty services.
Eighty per cent of respondents said mental health support for young people is critically important.
Respondents believe there needs to be more free or low-cost mental health services in the west, and that wait times are too long.
And respondents said more speciality services are needed – including youth, trauma, eating disorders and drug or alcohol – and that there are not enough practitioners to meet the demand.
Hobsons Bay mayor Matt Tyler said, “The results of this feedback confirm that the pursuit of improved specialist services for our most vulnerable young people is as critical as ever”.
“Young people are waiting too long or not being able to access the proper mental health supports they need.
“We need local, timely and affordable services in the west, including a psychologist-run mental health support service such as headspace.”
