Yass Valley residents say the region "desperately" needs youth mental health services and the time frame proposed by the government for a local satellite Headspace service is too long.
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Resident and mental health advocate Elizabeth Veasey says she is "frustrated and angry" that the satellite Headspace service promised during the federal election won't reach Yass for another two years.
Ms Veasey said face-to-face counselling services in Yass were "overrun" and stopping young people from getting help.
"I've been asked by a lot of parents about when it's coming. We need Headspace or something here that provides a mental health service to our youth because they don't have anything. We need it desperately," she said.
Ms Veasey said she understood the Headspace service would arrive in Yass in 2020.
"That's what I was initially told," she said.
She was the campaign manager for The Nationals' Eden-Monaro candidate, Sophie Wade. They announced in May that the party had promised 10 new Headspace centres and 20 new satellite services in the 2019/20 budget, with one of those in Yass.
However, a Department of Health spokesperson said funding for the Headspace service in Yass would "commence at the start of the next financial year" and expected the site to open and start providing services "early in the 2021/22 financial year".
"It isn't good enough that they're pushing this back," Ms Veasey said. "If the funding will be there in 2020, why aren't they doing the background work now?"
A Yass-based mother, who wished to remain anonymous, had hoped her children could soon benefit from the Headspace service.
"The wait time is disappointing and means vulnerable families are still travelling an hour for Headspace mental health services," she said.
The nearest Headspace services are in Goulburn and Canberra.
However, the Department of Health spokesperson said the government's election commitment to expand the national Headspace network and to provide a Headspace service in Yass were separate and had different implementation time frames.
The spokesperson said the satellite service would have a permanent location in Yass, but that "the exact location, services offered, and staff employed will be determined by the South Eastern NSW Primary Health Network (PHN) in consultation with the local community to best meet the needs of the Yass youth population."
Headspace offers people aged 12-25 mental health, physical health (including sexual health), alcohol and other drugs or work and study support.
Headspace satellite services generally provide a slightly condensed range of support and/or hours of operation to the Headspace centres, the Department of Health spokesperson said.
Although, young people are still expected "to be able to access the service in a range of ways similar to standard Headspace centres, such as making appointments or accessing drop-in sessions as offered," the spokesperson said.
"The South Eastern NSW PHN will continue to work with the local community to determine how best to meet the needs of the Yass youth population while this occurs. However, young people can also access eheadspace, which provides all Headspace services online," the spokesperson said.
The Yass-based mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said it was great that the government was honouring its election promise and that it was good to know the Yass community would be involved in consultation on the opening hours and services provided.
Dianne Kitcher, CEO of COORDINARE - South Eastern NSW PHN, said the government's commitment of funding for the new Headspace satellite service in Yass next financial year was welcome news.
"The Yass region has been identified as a location in high need of specialised youth mental health services," said Ms Kitcher.
"Local GPs also identify the lack of local, accessible services for young people, particularly relating to mental health as a key need, so we are delighted that a new Headspace satellite service will be funded."
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