A free, trauma-informed mental health service for young Canberrans has launched in Lyneham — the first of its kind in Australia.
The Youth Trauma Service, delivered by Uniting, supports young people aged 13 to 17 years (or up to 18, if still at school).
The service will offer wraparound care, which may include:
- Trauma-informed therapy and clinical care
- Family engagement and counselling
- Support with alcohol and other drug use
- Help with education and vocational goals
- Life skills and crisis management
- Connections to other services and systems.
It is co-located with headspace Primary Care and headspace Early Psychosis to form a new youth mental health hub. GPs, service providers, young people, families, and carers can self-refer.
Uniting Communities director Dr Andrew Montague said the service aimed to help young people before they needed acute care.
“Whether it’s the first signs of psychosis or the early impact of trauma, We know that this collaborative, connected care is what young people want — mental health support and services they don’t need a GPS to navigate.”
The service has begun with an early cohort, while co-design workshops will finalise its outreach model, referral pathways, and opening hours before the public launch. The workshops will also choose a new name for the service.
The service is jointly funded by the ACT and Australian governments, which have committed more than $4 million over two years, and forms part of the ACT Government’s Youth at Risk Project.
“Trauma experienced at a young age can have profound and lasting impacts throughout a person’s life,” health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith MLA said. “By acting early and focusing on trauma-informed care, the service can help reduce long-term impacts and ensure young people have every opportunity to thrive.”
To refer a young person or to access the service, visit uniting.org/youth-trauma-act
