The NSW Government has bolstered funding for youth mental health services with the launch of a new Youth Mental Health Hub in Brookvale on Thursday March 27 2025.
The Youth Mental Health Hub will be centrally located at the Brookvale Community Health Centre, providing a one-stop shop where local young people can receive comprehensive, integrated mental health care and be connected to other services.
This new Hub will complement the recently established Brookvale Safe Haven which offers young people a free, friendly and compassionate drop-in service within the same building. Both services have been funded with $4.48 million in redirected funding after the former government's commitments were found to be not feasible and ultimately undeliverable.
Committed to delivering a timely and effective solution, the NSW Government engaged local health and community representatives in a roundtable last year to help shape care models and service delivery for the region.
The Minns Labor Government states the concept for the Youth Mental Health Hub emerged from this 2024 roundtable, where local health and community representatives highlighted the urgent need for improved support for young people and a central access point for services.
Consultation on the designs and services for the Youth Mental Health Hub is now available. Local community members are encouraged to have their say on the Youth Mental Health Hub feedback form.
The Minns Labor Government announced on Thursday it has provided additional funding to further strengthen mental health services on the Northern Beaches. New investments include:
- $1.4 million in recurrent funding to establish a Child and Youth Mental Health Service Consultation Liaison service to enhance youth mental health and drug and alcohol services at Northern Beaches Hospital and across the Northern Sydney Local Health District.
- $472,000 recurrent funding to enhance the existing PACER (Police, Ambulance, Clinical, Early Response) service to provide trauma-informed care to people in crisis.
Brookvale Safe Haven opened late last year, offering a safe and welcoming space where teenagers can openly discuss their challenges and access one-on-one support, including safety planning for mental health distress. Since its launch, the service has already supported around 50 young people.
The Brookvale Safe Haven is open 7 days a week from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm, including on public holidays. It is located at Brookvale Community Health Centre, 612-624 Pittwater Road, opposite Westfield Warringah Mall and close to the bus interchange.
There are 21 Safe Havens across NSW based on or near hospital grounds, with peer workers and mental health clinicians on hand to offer care and support.
For more information about Safe Haven services and its role in supporting mental health, please visit the Safe Haven webpage.
Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson said:
“We listened to the calls from local, government and health representatives to deliver better services for young people on the Northern Beaches.
“After coming into government, it became clear that the former government’s pledge to build four mental health beds was never realistically planned for delivery.
“This redirected funding is about making sure we’re providing mental health care in the community that is effective, easy to access and suited to local needs.
“Having both a Safe Haven and a Youth Mental Health Hub located together at Brookvale will be an important way to support local young people with their mental health concerns, before they reach a point of crisis.
“While the Hub is being established, young people can continue to access mental health support at the new Brookvale Safe Haven under the same roof.
“The Haven is a fantastic place for young locals who are experiencing distress to seek support in the community, providing a non-clinical alternative to hospital emergency departments.”
Member for Wakehurst Michael Regan, who has been speaking out about what was promised and not delivered since winning the seat in 2023, said:
“It is fantastic to see this investment in young people and their mental health, building on the recently opened Brookvale Safe Haven.
“There is no referral or Medicare card needed – young people can drop into the Safe Haven and talk to skilled peer workers and staff from the Youth Response Team, who will listen, understand their needs and connect them to other health professionals as required.
“Once established, the new Youth Mental Health Hub will focus on supporting local young people with their mental wellbeing, and connecting them with other services if needed, including sexual health, drug and alcohol, housing, social supports, and primary care services.
“This initiative will give young people access to a comprehensive 'one-stop shop' for their health and broader social needs.
“Brookvale Community Health Centre is well-connected with transport links and convenient for young people seeking assistance, with other support services already located in the building.”
Warringah MP Zali Steggall and Mackellar MP Dr. Sophie Scamps both attended the launch of the Youth Mental Health Hub in Brookvale on Thursday.
Warringah MP Zali Steggall, NSW Minister for Mental Health, The Hon. Rose Jackson and Wakehurst MP Michael Regan in the space currently being fitted out for the Youth Mental Health Hub
Both have been championing for increased and comprehensive youth mental health services on the Manly to Barrenjoey peninsula since it became apparent what had been promised as some form of a replacement for Manly's East Wing was never going to be delivered at the Private-Public Northern Beaches Hospital.
“It is disappointing that the public were led to believe this would happen, which is why I pushed for a full performance audit of the hospital and joined my fellow MPs in asking that the unused funds be redirected to youth mental health as soon as possible,” Dr Scamps
“Today’s launch of such a vital service for our young people is testament to what collaboration and commitment to community need can provide,”
“The new Youth Mental Health Hub answers our call to urgently improve support for young people on the Northern Beaches so they can access the right support when they need it.”
“I thank the Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson for listening to local stakeholders and genuinely trying to find alternative ways to deliver better youth mental health services for our community,” Dr Scamps said
Mackellar MP Dr. Sophie Scamps and NSW Minister for Mental Health, The Hon. Rose Jackson at Brookvale on Thursday
The new facility will be funded by the remaining $4.5 million capital expenditure originally allocated for the establishment of four dedicated acute paediatric specialist mental health beds at the Northern Beaches Hospital.
The former state government pledged the money despite having no grounds to enforce Healthscope, the private operator of the hospital, to establish the beds, due to the contract they negotiated not requiring the delivery of such a public health service.
The NSW Audit Office, which is currently auditing the delivery of public health services at Northern Beaches Hospital, is due to report mid-year.
Then Health Minister Jillian Skinner announced on May 2nd 2013 that Manly Hospital was to close when the new hospital at Frenchs Forest was completed, scheduled for 2018. Then Manly MP and NSW Treasurer, Mike Baird, stated it was possible the Manly Hospital site would be used for aged care housing, but that the community would be consulted.
In September 2014 it was announced that following the closure of the hospital in 2015, the 6.2 hectare site would be zoned for health and environmental conservation uses only, and not for housing.
The Manly Hospital Project Steering Advisory Committee was established to identify potential health and well-being opportunities for the site. The committee included members of the former Manly Hospital Community Advisory Group and departmental representatives.
In April 2018 that the State Government stated it had committed $2 million to developing a hospice for young adults, and that there would be a role for the community to play in raising funds.
Manly Hospital finally closed in 2018 when the new Private-Public model Northern Beaches Hospital opened at Frenchs Forest. Private operator Healthscope initially ran the hospital but in early 2019 the company agreed to a $4.4 billion takeover by Canadian investment firm Brookfield.
Brookfield now also owns Aveo, an Australian real estate company that develops, owns, and operates retirement villages. In December 2024 it was announced that Aveo had been awarded the contract to manage a new “health precinct” at the old Manly Hospital site.
The marked contrast between a Government that makes an announcement it will never fulfil and one that listens to the community, then makes an announcement just once and then gets the work done, without much fanfare and ado, was borne out again this week with the launch of a new Youth Mental Health Hub in Brookvale.