The Allan Labor Government has completed the Sunshine Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre, providing Victorians with closer access to mental health care. Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt officially opened the new facility at Sunshine Hospital, with the first patients expected to be admitted this month.
The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System emphasized the need for more acute, hospital-based mental health beds across the state. The new 24/7 center, equipped with 52 acute hospital-based beds, addresses this recommendation. It is part of the Labor Government’s $801 million Mental Health Beds Expansion Program, which is adding 260 new mental health beds throughout Victoria.
These additional beds will alleviate pressure on the Sunshine Hospital emergency department and offer Victorians experiencing acute mental illness access to urgent treatment in a specialized, safe, and high-quality environment. The facility will provide multidisciplinary care, including services from psychiatrists, mental health clinicians, and nurses for various diagnoses, such as schizophrenia, psychosis, bipolar disorder, severe personality disorders, and severe depression or anxiety.
The design of the facility was developed in consultation with individuals with lived experience of the mental health system and includes sensory rooms, de-escalation rooms, internal courtyards, enclosed garden areas, staff and family lounges, and treatment rooms. It is estimated that the center will provide more than 18,900 days of care to over 1,150 individuals each year.
Upon completion of the statewide Mental Health Beds Expansion Program, the new hospital-based beds will offer more than 93,504 days of care, benefiting over 6,500 Victorians who require essential mental health services annually.
The Labor Government is investing significantly in modernizing Australia’s mental health system, with a $6 billion commitment to implement all recommendations from the Royal Commission.
Premier Jacinta Allan emphasized the importance of accessible mental health care within communities, stating, “You should be able to get the mental health care you need, close to home – without leaving your community or local support network. We haven’t wasted a minute delivering these facilities, because we know lives depend on it.”
Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt highlighted the center’s role in offering immediate and specialized treatment for acute mental illness, supporting individuals on their path to recovery.
The members of St Albans, Laverton, and Koroit also underscored the positive impact of the new facility in Melbourne’s west, emphasizing its importance for the community’s mental health support.
