Mental health service, Safe Haven, to be established at Canberra Hospital

The ACT government will spend more than $2 million on a Safe Haven cafe which is an early intervention service designed to reach people before they hit a crisis point.

Safe Havens are a space where people who need support for their mental health can seek help from peer support workers, who are mostly people who have also experienced mental health issues.

Minister for Mental Health Emma Davidson said having a Safe Haven at the hospital would allow people to be easily referred to a hospital if that was necessary.

But she also said it would provide an alternative to those turning up at the emergency department due to mental distress and Ms Davidson said this was done at other Safe Haven's around the country located on a hospital campus.

"Victoria and Tasmania have a Safe Haven that is not too far from a hospital with a busy emergency department," she said.

"They sometimes find that someone shows up to emergency and someone says 'actually, there might be a better place for you' and they can go to the Safe Haven and talk to someone there who can help them to work through that crisis without all the bright lights and the noise and the over-stimulation that can come with being in an emergency department."

The Belconnen Safe Haven was opened in late-2021.

"We will be building on what we have learned from the Safe Haven in Belconnen who have delivered more than 1500 hours of support to Canberrans who need someone they can talk to who understands what it's like and has the professional skills to be able to support them through a crisis," Ms Davidson said.

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The funding for Safe Haven will form part of a $28 million package for mental health services Canberra in the upcoming ACT budget.

The government will also commit $17.3 million over four years to the operation of a new residential eating disorder clinic. Construction on the clinic has recently begun.

There will be $4.3 million given to community-based residential accommodation for people with mental health needs and $2 million to establish mental health services for children and young people.

The package also includes $204,000 for the life-saving youth mental health program, WOKE and $445,208 for the Catholic Care Stepping Stones Program.

These programs recently came under threat after federal government funding ran out.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the investments would deliver a comprehensive mental health package for the territory.

"This investment is multifaceted both in new infrastructure and new programs, programs that are delivered in a hospital setting, in a community setting and in partnership with non-government providers," he said.

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