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Mind Australia has been chosen to deliver a ground-breaking new support program for Victorian adults experiencing psychological distress.

Victorian Minister for Mental Health, Ingrid Stitt, and Federal Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Emma McBride, have announced that Mind has been appointed to deliver the Distress Brief Support Trial in Greater Shepparton. 

Mind will partner with local health service Primary Care Connect in Shepparton. Together they will support people to develop skills to manage their psychological distress and connect them to local services for continued support in the community.

The service is a recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. 

Mind will work closely with key stakeholders, including people with lived and living experience of distress and people from diverse backgrounds, to design a program for adults who could benefit from non-clinical support as an alternative to presenting for emergency hospital-based care. 

The Victorian trial is a jointly funded initiative, with the Australian Government contributing $2.4 million and the Victorian Government contributing $2.6 million.

The Distress Brief Support program trial is anticipated to begin operation by mid-2025 and run until 2027.

Minister Stitt said she was proud to announce the new providers for the Distress Brief Support program trial.

“It brings us closer to start this crucial service that will help people manage their distress before they reach a crisis point,” she said.

Assistant Minister McBride said the Australian and Victorian Governments have worked closely with people with lived experience of psychological distress and who know the system well to design the trial program.

“Creating the option to support people across a period of 21 days gives us a better chance to make sure people are connected to longer term supports and avoid the need for more acute care,” she said.

Mind CEO Gill Callister said the trial will give people empowering alternatives to hospitalisation when they are experiencing psychological distress.

Mind is excited to be working with Primary Care Connect service to pilot this much needed support program in Shepparton
- Gill Callister PSM​, Chief Executive Officer, Mind Australia

“We know that connecting people to the right supports in the community, and giving them skills to manage their psychological distress, can make an enormous difference and lead to better and more sustainable outcomes for people before they resort to going to the Emergency Department in crisis.

“Mind is excited to be working with Primary Care Connect service to pilot this much needed support program in Shepparton. Primary Care Connect has strong connections in the area and we share a commitment to providing equitable support to the diverse communities in the Shepparton region,” she said.

Primary Care Connect has been delivering community services to the Greater Shepparton community for 30 years. It has established a reputation of trust and in delivering high quality programs, focused on some of the most vulnerable cohorts within our community.

Primary Care Connect CEO, Trish Quibell, said the Distress Brief Support program bridges a gap in existing services and enhances their capacity to provide the holistic, wrap around services people need.

“With our expertise and knowledge of our local area and the community, combined with the proficiency and resourcing of Mind, I am excited by the possibilities this program will provide in empowering people suffering distress and supporting them in their health and wellbeing journey,” Ms Quibell said.

More information and register your interest

Be part of designing a new community wellbeing support in Greater Shepparton – for more information please view the flyer and register your interest using the Expression of interest form. 

Mind Primary Care Connect Flyer (PDF 106 KB)

Expression of interest form

For more information about Mind’s range of services, visit the Mind Service finder or phone 1300 286 463.

If this article raises concerns for you, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islanders can also call 13 YARN (13 92 76) a 24/7 national crisis support telephone service staffed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 
If you would like more information, please contact us.

1300 286 463 
[email protected]