February 16th, 2026Better access to mental health support

Young people in Melbourne’s north eastern suburbs now have better access to mental health support and care thanks to the state government.

Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt recently announced the brand-new Youth Prevention and Recovery Care (YPARC) centre in Heidelberg is now open.

The voluntary, referral-based centre supports young people aged between 16 and 25 to access specialist, around-the-clock mental health care in a residential environment.

YPARCs provide early intervention and clinical care at a critical point – stepping in before a crisis escalates, reducing the need for hospital admission. 

The Heidelberg YPARC was co-designed by clinicians, carers and young people with lived and living experience, ensuring it is therapeutic, fit-for-purpose and safe.

Designed to feel like a home away from home, it enables young people to access the mental health care they need while maintaining connection to school, work, family and community – supporting recovery without disrupting their everyday lives. 

Delivered by the fovernment, the Heidelberg YPARC fulfils a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

Operated by Austin Health in partnership with Mind Australia, the centre is staffed by clinicians and lived experience workers and is expected to support more than 200 young people annually.

The purpose-built centre features ten private bedrooms, communal kitchen and dining areas, breakout spaces, outdoor gardens and dedicated areas for visits from loved ones – creating a therapeutic, homelike environment that promotes recovery and connection. 

It’s part of the fovernment’s $141 million investment to deliver new YPARCs in Heidelberg, Ballarat, Geelong, Traralgon and Shepparton, and upgrade existing YPARCs in Bendigo, Dandenong and Frankston.