Cairns and Far North Queensland will have free, quality mental health services with 2 new Medicare Mental Health Centres being established.
Medicare Mental Health Centres provide a safe and welcoming place for adults to access free mental health information, support, and care from multidisciplinary teams over extended hours, without needing a prior appointment.
Services include immediate support and follow-up for people presenting in crisis, as well as short to medium term care for people with moderate to severe mental health needs.
Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Emma McBride announced the new Medicare Mental Health Centres while visiting Cairns.
The new services will be part of the network of 61 Medicare Mental Health Centres being established across Australia, including 19 in Queensland.
The Commonwealth Government and State Government are working together, under the Mental Health Bilateral Agreement, to deliver mental health care and support to Queenslanders, closer to home.
The Albanese Government is providing $8.1 million, and the Miles Government is providing $6.2 million to the Northern QLD Primary Health Network for a centre in Cairns due to open its doors in the coming months, and a second centre in Far North Queensland which is expected to open in 2026.
In the recent budget, the Albanese Government announced $29.9 million to enhance clinical capacity and ensure each centre has psychologists and psychiatrists on call.
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister McBride:
"We are putting mental health at the centre of a stronger Medicare, so all Australians have access to mental health support and care close to home.
"The Cairns and Torres Strait Medicare Mental Health Centres will offer free, wraparound care, over extended hours, without the need for an appointment.
"These centres will expand the range of options available to people in Far North Queensland needing mental health care and support."
Quotes attributable to Senator Nita Green, Senator for Queensland:
"These new centres will make a huge difference in the treatment of mental health issues in Cairns and across the Torres Strait.
"Living in rural and remote Australia can be tough on people's mental health, with its own issues of isolation and poor access to health care. It can be challenging to find the right help closer to home and these new Medicare Mental Health Centres will help overcome what is a significant problem."
Quotes attributable to Minister Fentiman:
"We know access to free mental health care and support will be life-changing for so many residents across north Queensland.
"This essential healthcare is expanding around the state so that more people can access the care they need, closer to home.
"The new centre is a great example of how the Albanese and Miles Governments are working together to deliver this critical healthcare for Queenslanders.
"We're committed to improving Queenslanders' access to healthcare - and that's exactly what these new centres will do."
