LOCAL News... New Headspace Cowra Branch Officially Opens

IMAGE: The ribbon is cut to officially open the new Headspace facility in Cowra last Tuesday. Special guests Member for Riverina Michael McCormack and Cowra Mayor Bill West are pictured on the left.

Headspace Cowra’s brand new facility was officially unveiled last Tuesday, marking its transition to a ‘satellite centre’ which will offer many more services than its original facility.

The new site is located underneath the side of the Cowra Library building, on Kendal Street, next door to the fire station, and is able to provide mental health, sexual health, drug and alcohol support, and educational support services.

It features consultation rooms, rooms for youth workers, GPs and other health workers, as well as telehealth rooms.

Its previous site was inside the Cowra Mall building near Verto at the opposite end of Kendal Street, and could only facilitate mental health services.

Headspace Cowra Clinical Manager Jenny Duggan said the new facility was sourced and established in order for it to become a satellite centre.

“We were previously an ‘outreach centre’ under the Bathurst region, but we can now provide many more services here in Cowra,” she said.

Headspace CEO Jason Trethowan was in Cowra to help open the facility, along with Cowra Mayor Bill West, Member for Riverina Michael McCormack, and Marathon Health Chair Annette Carruthers .

He said the new facility was a community asset and partnership. “It’s important because young people are getting better at reaching out to Headspace and seeking support,” he said. Mr West said Council had long been advocating for the up-graded Headspace branch.

“It’s important to have this facility in Cowra, and our Head-space branch has a wonderful team,” he said.

Mr McCormack said a void had been filled in Cowra.

“I don’t want anyone to think there is no way forward mentally.

This facility will save lives and give young people hope,” he said. Mrs Carruthers thanked the various local organisations that advocated for the upgraded Headspace Cowra.

“The Marathon Health team [the lead agency for Headspace] in Cowra has worked tirelessly to ensure the facility can ser-vice Cowra’s needs,” she said.

Headspace is funded by the Primary Health Network, an agency of the Australia Department of Health.

The Cowra branch is open three days per week, and will be seeking further funding to increase this.