Welcome to headspace Sunshine!

To find out more about us and what we can offer please refer to the individual services tabs below, check out our welcome pack or download our centre brochure here.

Click here for a guide on how to get to our centre and click here to check out a virtual tour* of headspace Sunshine.
*Please note that we no longer have a GP available on site.
*There are 2 short flights of stairs that you will need to climb to reach the main entrance of our centre, however, there are also elevators available through the Youth Junction (on the left as you enter the VISY Cares Hub). If you have accessibility requirements or concerns, feel free to give us a call on 8311 9420 and we're happy to help!

We look forward to seeing you at our centre!

Our staff is made up of qualified, youth friendly professionals happy to assist young people and the community with any inquiry. We are committed to providing inclusive, safe, equitable and sensitive care to all people within our community, regardless of sex, sexuality, gender, disability or race. Our centre has zero tolerance for bullying, harassment or discrimination of any kind. Read our pledge here.

Reception and Administration

Reception and Administration staff are your first point of contact with headspace Sunshine, and make sure that your contact with the service is easy and fuss free.

Clinical 

Clinical services are made up of a range of professions; Doctors, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Nurses & Social Workers who are there to help you with any problems you may have.

Vocational (work and study) Support

Vocational support assists young people in finding and applying for work. They help in all areas including job search, resume writing, interview skills and even finding interview clothes if needed. For more information on our vocational support program, click here.

Research

Researchers meet with young people who are interested in being involved in studies which are looking to find the best ways to help young people with mental health concerns.

Community Awareness

Our Community Awareness and Engagement officers undertakes health promotion and education activities such as talking to groups and schools about understanding mental health and self-care. As part of our community awareness program, we also have a Youth Advocacy Group who inform, co-design and co-facilitate awareness raising events and projects around the community.

Peer Work

Our peer workers are young people and carers with lived experience of mental health or caring for someone going through mental health concerns. They provide practical support to young people and their families, link them to local support programs and services, and problem solve ways to assist young people to access headspace Sunshine. 
For more information on youth peer work at headspace Sunshine, click here.
For more information on family peer work at headspace Sunshine, click here.

How do you access our services?

All you have to do is give us a call on 03 8311 9420, or you can ask your parent, doctor, teacher, school counsellor or case manager to call on your behalf. Feel free to have someone come along to appointments with you.

Are you a GP, health practitioner or support worker wanting to refer a young person?

Please click here for information on how to refer to our services. 

Are the services free?

All the services at headspace Sunshine are free of charge and/or bulk-billed with a Medicare card. You will need a Medicare card to access support from our GPs and Private Practitioners. (Please see below for info on how to get a Medicare card.)

If you can't access Medicare or other government funded healthcare programs, you can still access support from our Access Team Clinicians, Peer Worker, Drug and Alcohol Counsellor, Work and Study Support Workers and Groups.

Do you have General Practitioners at your centre?

We do not have General Practitioners available at our centre, however our access team can support you to access physical and sexual health support. Simply let the receptionist or your access clinician know if you are seeking these services and they will help book you in. If you need help finding a suitable GP, give us a call on 8311 9420 and we can help to either book you in with one of our other centre GPs or support you to connect with a local youth friendly GP. If you have great GP recommendations, please let us know and we'll add them to our list!

How can I get a Medicare card?

When you turn 15 years of age, you can apply for your own Medicare card. To do this you have to do some paper work and have some identification. (You need to complete a "Medicare copy or transfer" application form and submit it at your local Medicare service centre.) You’ll need to provide identification, such as a student card or birth certificate, as well as details about the card you are transferring from. For details on how to get your own Medicare card, click here. 

For more information have a chat to our Access Team.

headspace Sunshine is NOT a CRISIS service

If young person requires assertive follow up or CRISIS support contact:

• Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800
• Lifeline 13 11 44
• Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467
• Or you can attend your closest Emergency Department or call 000

What does confidentiality mean for you at headspace?

In Australia, laws protect young peoples’ rights to have information they share with doctors (and other people who provide health services) be kept private.

These laws mean that what you tell people during a health care appointment must remain private between you and that person or service, except in particular situations.

When you talk to any of the staff at headspace Sunshine you can be confident that what you talk about is not shared with people outside of the service without your knowledge. headspace Sunshine helps you access services that are sometimes provided by other agencies outside of headspace. Please talk with anyone on our Access Team about how this relates to your private information

Your Guide to Online Appointments

 Not sure what to to expect when it comes to online appointments? Click here to check out our guide.

We at headspace Sunshine believe that family and friends play an important role in a young person’s journey to better wellbeing. As such, all our services are focused on including the young person's important others as much as possible and in line with the young person's wishes . If you're supporting a young person experiencing mental wellbeing concerns, check out these documents:

headspace National Office: Family and Friends Welcome pack, or the I'm supporting a young person resource library. 

Are you interested in family peer support? Find out more here.

We look forward to welcoming you to our centre!

headspace Sunshine wants to let young people know when, how and where in the community to seek help for mental health problems, so we undertake community awareness activities to help increase the knowledge of how to do so for young people, their friends, families and the broader community.   

headspace Sunshine’s community awareness and engagement program aims to:

• Improve the mental, social and emotional wellbeing of young people
• Increase the level of mental health literacy available
• Help the community to understand, identify and respond to mental health needs of young people
• Support and encourage active youth and carer participation through reference groups
• Work toward reducing stigma and discrimination associated with mental health problems
• Informing young people and their supports of where and how to access help
• Create partnerships with local organisations, networks and educational settings 

headspace Sunshine can participate in community awareness activities within schools or other community groups in the Brimbank, Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay area including:

Service information: providing an overview of headspace services in Sunshine, how to access and refer.
Mental health literacy: presenting information on general mental health, keeping well, who to talk to, destigmatising help-seeking and what services are available.
School visits: involvement in school health curriculums and strategy, presentations on specific and/or general issues.
School group work: group work established into curriculum to meet the mental health needs of students.
Events and festivals: attendance at events and festivals at schools and within the community.

Making a request

If you would like headspace Sunshine to attend an event or to speak to your group, please get in touch by email at headspaceSunshineCommunity@orygen.org.au.

Please be aware that headspace Sunshine receives many requests to attend organisations and events; in order to plan and provide the right staff, information and resources we ask that you allow a minimum of three weeks’ notice prior to your requested attendance date.  Whilst we aim to meet as many requests as possible, it isn't always possible to meet them all.

Keen to make a donation to headspace Sunshine?
Thanks! Get in contact with our Community Awareness Officer at headspaceSunshineCommunity@orygen.org.au to find out how. All donations over $2 are tax deductable. 100% of the money raised from donations will go towards improving the health of young people in our local community.

How will your donation support young people in our community?
Our goal is to increase the number of young people seeking support early by:

• Improving the mental health literacy of young people, their families and friends
• Raising awareness about headspace Sunshine and its range of services
• Mobilising local young people to take action to reduce the stigma associated with mental health

Your generous donation will assist us with delivering additional programs, events, resources and community awareness initiatives that will enhance the services we currently provide.

Are you considering holding a fundraising event for headspace Sunshine?
If your school, club or workplace are interested in running a fundraising event for headspace Sunshine then we would love to hear from you. For more information and fundraising support, please contact us at headspaceSunshineCommunity@orygen.org.au

From the team at headspace Sunshine, we thank you for all your kind support and contributions to our service.

What is the difference between psychiatry and psychology?

Psychologists and psychiatrists both work in the area of mental health and often work together. Psychiatrists first train as a doctor and then become specialists in psychiatry, which means they can prescribe medications for mental health issues. Some are also trained in psychological therapy. Psychologists on the other hand use non-medical techniques and therapies focusing on thoughts, feelings, behaviours and reactions to improve wellbeing. This can be done via individual, group or family work.

What are the iPads for?

Young people are asked to fill out a questionnaire about how they are going on the iPads before their appointment with a headspace clinician. This provides useful information to their clinician and helps them to best support the young person.

What happens when a young person turns 26?

In the case where a young person currently being seen by a headspace clinician turns 26 years old and still requires psychological support, their clinician will discuss alternative options available to them and transition them as appropriate. 26 year-olds not already linked in to our service are encouraged to visit their local GP or use the Find a Psychologist search on the APS website to find a suitable psychological service in their area.

What if a young person is nearly turning 12?

In the case where a young person is almost 12, parents are welcome to contact headspace Sunshine and a mental health professional can speak to them about their concerns and suggest an appropriate way forward.

Can you get an Attendance Certificate at Reception?

Yes, if your young person has attended an appointment at headspace, you can ask our reception staff before you leave to print out a certificate of attendance. This can be used by you and/or your young person to excuse you/their absence from work and/or school.

What is the eligibility criteria for a young person to access headspace Sunshine?

Anyone seeking support with their mental or physical wellbeing, alcohol and other drugs or vocational future who is aged between 12-25 years old is welcome to our centre. Young people will require a Medicare card or student health cover to access some of our services. If you do not have one of these, please give the centre a call to discuss other options.

headspace is focused on providing services for young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health needs. We want to ensure a young person receives the most suitable support for their situation. At our centre we have a 'no wrong door' policy, so if we are not the appropriate service for a young person, we will refer them to a service who may be a better fit for them.

Do you have any interpreter options?

Yes, interpreters can be arranged in advance to support the young person or their family to communicate with a headspace worker during session. 

Do parents/carers have to attend the centre with their young person?

Parents/carers do not have to attend the centre with their young person. However, we do encourage parents/carers to attend one of our regular parent/carers information evenings to learn more about youth mental wellbeing and headspace Sunshine. You can ask our Reception about upcoming dates.

What is a mature minor assessment?

A minor (i.e. someone who is under 16 years of age) may be able to give informed consent if they have sufficient understanding and intelligence to enable full understanding of what is being proposed.

Where does the information go that a young person, family member or carer provide?

All personal information about young people or families is stored safely and securely on our electronic medical record. This information will not be shared with anybody outside our centre unless we have your/your young person’s consent or where we are required to disclose information by law (e.g. if we receive a subpoena) or where we might have immediate safety concerns about a young person.

If I have concerns or feedback, who can I speak to?

We have feedback forms available at our Reception. Alternatively, you can contact the centre directly and chat to our Centre Manager.

If you would like to download a copy of these FAQs, please click here.

Child Safety Statement of Commitment

headspace Sunshine, and its leads agency Orygen is committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of all children.  We play an important role in ensuring the health and wellbeing of children and do not tolerate child abuse.  All allegations and safety concerns will be treated very seriously, reported and investigated. Orygen is committed to listening respectfully at all times to children and advocating for their right to feel and be safe, valued and protected. 

All children and young people who are supported by Orygen have the right to feel and be safe.  Orygen is committed to the principles of cultural safety and inclusion of children from diverse backgrounds and to the safety and inclusion of children with disability, and we recognise that these principles support the safety of all children.

Every person involved at Orygen has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role they play individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do.  We aim to create a culture of child safety that reduces opportunity for harm and provides our staff with a clear process to follow when child safety concerns are raised.