The Australian Government and South Australian Government are delivering $10 million for a new Statewide Eating Disorder Service (SEDS) centre at the Repat Health Precinct to improve access to eating disorder treatments for people in South Australia.
The latest funding is on top of the $2.1 million already committed by the Breakthrough Mental Health Foundation.
The new purpose-built centre will bring patients, clinicians, and researchers under the one roof to work side by side, providing life changing clinical interventions and conducting groundbreaking research to seeks answers on how to recover from devastating eating disorders.
When complete, the centre will provide round-the-clock care, seven days a week for people with an eating disorder, while they receive the support they need to recover.
It will offer therapies including specialist, intensive nutritional, and psychological treatments in a home-like environment.
The five-bed SEDS Residential Treatment Program at the Repat will provide 24/7 wrap around home like environment care to support evidence-based therapies and help patients work towards their personal recovery.
The six participant SEDS Outpatient and Day Patient Program will also move from Brighton to the Repat to integrate day and outpatient care in a purpose-built SEDS clinic, which will offer multidisciplinary individual, family based and carer skills-based therapies.
This SEDS Centre will provide a truly integrated outpatient, day and residential treatment, research, and teaching service for eating disorder care in South Australia. This will enable personalised, stepped care for patients to use a variety of treatment programs and environments suited to their clinical and individual needs.
The Residential and SEDS Day Program buildings will be connected and will provide large, light filled and well-designed clinical spaces for clinical care.
The SEDS Residential Treatment Program will see SEDS work collaboratively with an expert Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), which will be tendered closer to the opening date.
The former Commonwealth Government promised an eating disorder facility for SA in 2019 but never delivered.
Their delay in delivering this facility led to a project that was underfunded and would have never been able to be delivered without the investment from the Albanese and Malinauskas governments.
Eating disorders have some of the highest mortality rates of any mental illness and many Australians go undiagnosed. Around 1.1 million Australians had an eating disorder in 2022-23.
Cheesman Architects have been appointed to the project.
Building will commence next year with an estimated 12-18 month build time.
Artist impressions of the new centre can be found here.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
"Eating disorders are devastating and incredibly distressing for the individual, and for those who love and are caring for patients.
"They're difficult to treat and they're very dangerous.
"We know more needs to be done to help people and ensure support is close to home.
"The new eating disorder centre at the Repat Health Precinct will provide the compassionate and coordinated system of care people and families need for a brighter future."
Quotes attributable to Chris Picton, South Australia Minister for Health and Wellbeing:
"Eating disorders are extremely serious and we are committed to doing all we can to help affected South Australians and their families.
"We are providing additional funding in the Mid Year Budget Review to get this important new centre off the ground."
"This dedicated service will provide more specialised and tailored care for one of our most dangerous mental health disorders. Importantly, it will offer the opportunity for eating disorder treatment to be delivered in an accessible location and community-based setting, rather than a medical or hospital setting."
Quotes attributable to Louise Miller-Frost, Member for Boothby:
"Eating disorders are complex and among the most lethal of mental health conditions.
"This injection of funds will mean better access to timely, affordable and comprehensive care to South Australians.
"I don't want anyone to suffer in silence and this centre will provide a welcoming environment so people can get the care they need to thrive."
Quotes attributable to Statewide Eating Disorder Service, Head of Unit, Dr Randall Long:
"The SEDS Residential Treatment Program will become an essential component in the treatment of eating disorders within South Australia.
"It will offer a greater range of evidence-based care for people experiencing significant impacts from an eating disorder, giving them the opportunity to stay in a homelike environment while continuing to receive excellent clinical care."
Quotes attributable to Breakthrough CEO John Mannion:
"Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation believe in the incredible impact that this project can have upon the South Australian community, patients, and their families.
"We truly believe that this model with be a driver for breakthroughs in the eating disorder arena and a benchmark of design and practice to be replicated within Australia.
"The support of the South Australian and Federal Governments is visionary and strengthens the drive for better outcomes in mental health and wellbeing.
"We are so grateful for the commitment of the South Australian philanthropic community to join us in this vital and lifesaving initiative."
Quotes attributable to Flinders University Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor of Psychology, and Member of the Project Design Steering Committee, Professor Tracey Wade:
"The new purpose-built Statewide Eating Disorder Centre at the Repat Health Precinct represents South Australia's opportunity to have a world-class centre of excellence in eating disorders. It will be a potent sign of our community's commitment to investing in people with eating disorders."
Quotes attributable to Breakthrough Ambassador and Member of the Project Design Steering Committee, Lauren Skuse:
"In my eyes, the new SEDS Centre is one of the most important steps forward that Australia has taken in tackling eating disorders. Anorexia Nervosa began for me at the age of 12 and then took away the next 15 years of my life. SEDS gave me my life back, the chance to be around to see my children grow up and has allowed me to progress on my recovery journey for the last six years.
"SEDS is life changing for sufferers and the new and improved service has the potential to support more people on a larger scale, as well as be a space for research so that we can look towards early intervention and one day prevention of this devastating disease that effects so many in our community. This building fills me with so much hope, it is a sign of the commitment in our community to support those suffering through this shocking and lonely illness."
