Welcome to headspace Lithgow!

headspace Lithgow aims to provide a friendly, welcoming space for all young people and their families. headspace acknowledges that access supports can be difficult for some young people. As such, we aim to make the process as friendly and easy as possible.

We are located at 23 Main Street, Lithgow. The entry of the building is down 'Secret Lane', which is to the left of the main building. Our centre is wheelchair accessible, with street parking out the front. It is a 6 minute walk from the train station to the headspace centre. While also being a 15 minute walk from Lithgow High School to the headspace centre.

headspace Lithgow offers young people aged 12-25 a welcoming environment where they can access free and confidential mental health support, health advice, and general information. We are a team of friendly workers who specialise in youth wellbeing. We can discuss and help with any issues from mental health, sexual health and contraception, education support, to drug and alcohol counselling. headspace Lithgow services are available at no cost. 

Contact us

phone: (02) 6941 9024
email: hs.Lithgow@marathonhealth.com.au 
post: headspace Lithgow - PO Box 20 Lithgow, NSW, 2790
You can also follow us on Facebook or Instagram!

For information on faxing and secure email, please call reception. 

If you are concerned about your own or someone else's safety and require urgent assistance, there is also the mental health line, who can be contacted on 1800 011 511. They are a 24-hour telephone service that can link you with a mental health worker and local care services.

Here at headspace Lithgow, young people are our first priority. Our wonderful staff are here to make sure that you get the help you need when you're going through a tough time.

Our team includes: 

Operational

Sam | Center Manager

Shelley | Program Support Officer 

Mackenzie | Program Support Officer (Mon-Wed)

Emma | Community Engagement Coordinator

Mental health and wellbeing

Alice | Clinical Team Lead  (Mon-Wed)

Freya | Youth Mental Health Worker (Youth Plus)  (Tues - Fri)

Alisha | Youth Care Coordinator (Mon - Thur)

Eli | Peer Worker 

tele-psychology:

Karlo | General Psychologist - Monday afternoons & Wednesday 

Medical:

Dr Shah | Tele-Psychiatrist

Dr Tim | GP - Wednesday (fortnightly)

Vocational:

Debbie | Community Outreach Coordinator (Mon - Wed)

allied mental health:

noffs Drug & Alcohol Counsellor

are you passionate, driven and ready to make a change? join our team

Professional Referral

Allied health professionals, community-based agencies and educational/vocational institutions can refer young people to headspace Lithgow by filling out the Professional Referral Form and send too:

• Fax or send via secure email, please call reception for these options. 
• Email it to hs.lithgow@marathonhealth.com.au

Self-Referral (referring yourself)

If you are aged between 12 and 25, and want to access headspace Lithgow services,  There are a few ways you can contact us for an appointment. You are welcome to use the method that is most comfortable and convenient for you.

• Contact us via Phone at (02) 6941 9024
• Return this form via email: hs.Lithgow@marathonhealth.com.au
• Drop into the centre: 23 Main St, Lithgow, 2790

Family Member Referral

Families, carers or friends can refer a young person to headspace Lithgow. A referral can be made by:

• Phone at (02) 6941 9024
• Return this form via email: hs.Lithgow@marathonhealth.com.au
• Drop into the centre: 23 Main St, Lithgow, 2790

Parent Skills Program - If you the parent or carer of a young person who accesses headspace Lithgow services & are looking your own support. Then you may be interested in our FREE Parent Skills Program, which offers: 

• 1:1 sessions with our Family Clinician
• Consultations with you and your family
• Programs and educational sessions in the community
• The chance to shape our family program through joining our Family & Friends reference group

A referral can be made by:

• Phone at (02) 6941 9024
• Return this form via email: hs.Lithgow@marathonhealth.com.au
• Drop into the centre: 23 Main St, Lithgow, 2790

General Practitioners (GPs) - ‘How to refer’

When making a referral to headspace Lithgow, please ensure following there is a referral letter and if a Mental Health Treatment Plan has been given, the following information is provided:

• Referral letter addressed to ‘Dear headspace Clinician’
• GP name, provider number and practice details
• Date and GP signature
• Reason for referral and a diagnosis (if appropriate)
• Number of therapy sessions approved 
• Consent of referral from the young person
• Young person’s address, DOB and phone numbers
• Contact for carer or parent (if appropriate)
• Include a Mental Health Care Plan (if appropriate)

GPs are encouraged to continue to be involved in supporting the young person whilst they are engaged with headspace.   

For information on faxing and secure email, please call reception. 

GP Referral to Tele-Psychiatry

Young People aged 12-25 what are engaged with headspace Lithgow & who wish to access a tele-psychiatry appointment, will require a referral letter from their Doctor. Please discuss letter requirements with a headspace Lithgow clinician. 

No referrals are needed to access out GP.

Please contact us with your medicare card to make an appointment. 

If you have not received a reply from your email within 3-5 business days please call our office on (02) 6941 9024 to follow up your request

Mental health and wellbeing

• psychosocial assessment
• engagement, care coordination (inc referral), or brief sessions with a Youth Care Coordinator
• sessions with a mental health clinician, including provisional or general psychologists 
• group work 
• headspace connect 
• telehealth psychiatry
• Youth+  is a short term brief intervention service for people in the Lithgow area who have recently experienced:
  • Impulsive and self-destructive behaviour
  • Changing in emotions and strong, overwhelming feelings
  • Problems with identity and sense of self
  • Thoughts and feelings of suicide and self-harm

Alcohol and other drugs 

• counselling
• care coordination and/or referral

Physical and/or sexual health

• doctor appointments
  • for phyical or sexual health
  • for mental health difficulties
  • referral 
• care coordination and/or referral

Work and study

• one on one support
• support accessing headspace digital work and study 
• group work 
• referral and coordination

Our headspace Lithgow Youth Pantry is stocked with FREE essential items for young people who are doing it tough. Items include:

• food hampers
• canned and packaged food
• sleeping bags 
• personal hygiene items 
• bathroom items
• back packs 
• ready to go bags full of essential items 
• other items that have been kindly donated by the community and other organisations 

Help yourself, or chat to our friendly staff for further support. 

If you would like to donate to our youth pantry please call reception (02) 6941 9024 or pop into the centre.

If you are interested in one of our groups below, click here and someone will be in contact with you shortly :)  

The Youth Reference Group (YRG)
YRG membership is open to anyone between the ages of 16 and 25 in the Lithgow LGA.

headspace Lithgow believes in providing young people with the opportunity to be heard, and actively involved in addressing the issues that are important to them. As a member of the headspace Lithgow YRG you will have the opportunity to have your say in the services delivered by headspace Lithgow, while gaining valuable skills in leadership, media, communication, and mental health services. If you are interested in being a member of the YRG please fill out the follow form EOI-YRG.docx and email to hs.Lithgow@marathonhealth.com.au

As a member of the headspace Lithgow YRG you can do just this, by;

• Working with at risk youth in the community
• Planning and organising events
• Developing and facilitating programs
• Community Engagement
• Youth & Community Development
• Health Promotion
  
  

By getting involved you will get the opportunity to:

• Receive training about headspace and Mental Health & wellbeing.
• Have your say on important issues and influence how headspace Lithgow operates.
• Meet and work with other young people who are passionate about youth and our community.
• Learn and develop leadership and organizational skills.

We currently provide outreach mental health, social, and vocational groups to Lithgow High School, Portland Central School and La Salle Academy during the school term.

For more information on our outreach programs you can reach out to the participating schools or headspace Lithgow.

At headspace Lithgow we strive to provide excellent, respectful and confidential services that facilitate shared decision-making and, promote collaborative care – for details on your rights and responsibilities please head to our website or talk to your clinician. 

Disclosure of personal information
Personal and medical information gathered as part of this service will remain confidential except when:

• it is subpoenaed by a court;
• failure to disclose the information would place you or another person at serious risk to life, health or safety;
• If your written consent has been obtained to share information to:

1. Another person (eg family member, employer)
2. Another agency

Involving your family
At headspace Lithgow we believe that your family and friends play an important role in your life, so wherever possible, we encourage you to let them know you’ve visited headspace, even get them involved. If you can have your family involved in your health care, it can make a really positive difference. The amount your family are involved depends on lots of things – including your age, experiences, and importantly your feelings about family involvement.

 If you are under 18, there are some situations where you can consent to treatment without parental permission. It depends on a few things like whether you can fully understand the help or treatment you’re getting, and what the consequences might be if the help isn't provided.

How and why we collect personal information
As part of providing a service to you, headspace Lithgow needs to collect and record personal information from you that is relevant to your situation; such as your name, contact information, medical history and other relevant information. This collection of personal information will be a necessary part of the psychological assessment and treatment that is conducted. We use personal information that you give us to provide you with the best service we can. How much you tell us is up to you. However, the more information we have the more we can be clear about the help we can offer.

Each time you have an appointment at headspace Lithgow, you will be asked to complete a headspace Application Platform Interface survey (hAPI). It asks for some information about you, such as age, gender and other details, as well as some information about how you're feeling at the moment. Everyone does this survey when they come in and the information collected is used by headspace Lithgow to assist in providing you with the best support possible. This information is then de-identified to helps us evaluate our service — the kinds of issues we’re helping people with and whether we are effective. We are required to report unidentifiable information to our funding body, the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network (PHN).

Protecting your privacy
As part of providing a service to you, headspace Lithgow will need to collect and record personal information about you. Your details and session notes are stored electronically on a database called MasterCare. Access to this is protected by a password and organisation systems to ensure your information is kept confidential.

Your clinician may also discuss your progress at team meetings – this is to ensure you are provided with the highest possible standard of care. In this case, the identifying information discussed will be kept to a minimum with respect to the client. headspace Lithgow is made up of headspace core staff and co-locating health professionals from various organisations.

 Provision and limitations of telehealth service
headspace Lithgow can provide telephone or videoconferencing appointments. To access telehealth appointments, you will need access to a quiet, private space; and the appropriate device, i.e. smartphone, laptop, iPad, computer - with a camera, microphone and speakers; and a reliable internet connection. At the beginning of every telehealth session, your clinician will ask where you are currently located.

A telehealth consultation may be subject to limitations such as an unstable network connection. In addition, there may be some services for which telehealth is not appropriate or effective. We will not record calls or video chats, unless agreed upon by yourself. Unfortunately, we do not know if headspace Lithgow phone numbers will show up on mobile/home phone bills. headspace Lithgow uses systems that meet recommended standards to protect the privacy and security of the video sessions. However, headspace Lithgow cannot guarantee total protection against hacking or tapping into the video visits by outsiders. This risk is small, but it does exist.

At headspace Lithgow we strive to provide excellent, respectful and confidential services that facilitate shared decision-making and, promote collaborative care.

As a client you have the right to:

• Be treated in a respectful, professional, courteous and caring manner
• Be provided services in a safe environment
• Expect personal privacy will be respected and confidentiality protected
• Expect adequate information regarding all aspects of services provided or treatment available, so you can make the best and most informed choices regarding you or your child’s healthcare
• Consent to refuse to participate in educational or research programs, including treatment by students, and consent to refuse any treatment
• Have our clinicians discuss all aspects of treatment, and offer alternatives should you wish to seek another option or opinion
• Decide who will be present at a consultation (parent or carer, advocate, interpreter, student etc)
• Receive prompt service – if a session time needs to be changed, every attempt will be made to contact you
• Request a different service provider
• Participate in decision-making about your care
• Make a complaint about the service or treatment received and expect it will be investigated appropriately and confidentially, and you won’t be disadvantaged in receiving continuing service or treatment
• Request a copy of your records via the program you have been engaged with, in accordance with the Privacy Act (1988) and Freedom of Information Act (1982) – for state specific privacy regulations, check your state government’s website

As a client you have the responsibility to:

• Attend all allocated appointments, or provide at least 24 hours cancellation notice
• Maintain confidentiality regarding information about other participants in groups or programs conducted by our organisation
• Ask for more information or clarification if you are unsure about the information or treatment given to you
• Provide accurate information about yourself in order to receive the best care
• Treat staff in a respectful manner

Family and friends of a headspace client have the rights to:

• Be respected regardless of culture, language, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age or lifestyle;
• Be recognised as an individual and as a person in a carer relationship;
• Participate in the treatment and ongoing care decision making of the client with the consent of the client, and where appropriate to do so;
• Have their views and opinions invited, heard and respected;
• Receive clear information about the service that headspace provides and be provided the opportunity to ask questions;
• Be able to involve an advocate at any time;
• Have their privacy and confidentiality respected;
• Have their health and wellbeing acknowledged as an integral part of support for the consumer;
• Be given access to information about services that support carers’ health and wellbeing;
• Be able to provide feedback or complaints about any aspects of the service, and to have an appeal process available to them.

Family and friends of a headspace client have the responsibility to:

• Be supportive of the healthcare options that are consistent with the client’s choice and wishes, and that are in the best interests of the client;
• Respect the human worth and dignity of the person they are caring for;
• Respect all headspace staff, regardless of culture, language, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, or lifestyle;
• Consider the opinions and skills of headspace staff in providing support for the client;
• Co-operate, as far as is possible, with reasonable support activities aimed at supporting recovery;
• Inform headspace staff when their ability to perform a caring role is compromised, or their role has come to an end;
• Maintain the confidentiality of the person they care for and those they meet as part of their care;
• Accept that whilst sharing of information is important, not all information about the consumer or service provided will be shared at all times.

You can have your own Medicare card if you’re aged 15 or older and enrolled in Medicare.

To get your own card you need to complete a form. Complete the Application to copy or transfer from one Medicare card to another form.

The form is then given to a service centre. To make sure it’s you, they will ask for some identification. You need to bring one of the following:

• birth certificate
• current driver’s licence
• current passport.
  
  

They will usually tell you your Medicare number straight away and send your card in 3 to 4 weeks.

You can use a digital copy of your Medicare card in the meantime. 

Keep in mind, you can only be on 2 Medicare cards at the same time

headspace appreciates the support of local businesses and the community

If you would like to donate, this can be done at the Lithgow office or alternatively via direct deposit on:

NAB Account Name: headspace Lithgow

Account Number: 93-111-0013

BSB: 082-564

For more information contact us on (02) 6941 9024

Client Satisfaction Survey

We value your feedback. Please let us know how your experience has been by answering the following questions on our Client Satisfaction Survey 

At headspace Lithgow we appreciate all feedback, including: suggestions, compliments, and complaints. We're always looking for new ways and bright ideas to improve our services and facilities. So please feel free to click here to share your comments and ideas.

family member or friend

Please tell us what you think about headspace and the service you have received. Your feedback will help us improve the service for others. Feedback is completely anonymous and you can find the survey by visiting https://bit.ly/362K8W1

If there is a problem you wish to take outside the organisation, you may prefer to contact our lead agency at www.marathonhealth.com.au/contact or via the Health Care Complaints Commission on 1800 043 159