A mental health hub will be established in Benalla by the state government, aiming to provide a "front door" for anyone needing urgent support.
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And with the highest per capita rate of suicide across the state, the North East city is in desperate need of the new local Adult and Older Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing Service.
It is one of six mental health priority sites identified across Victoria which will be fast tracked by the government and will be one of 60 eventually established.
The service was a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System.
The hubs aim to help Victorians access help in the community earlier, before they need to access a hospital or when they reach a crisis point.
Benalla has the highest per capita level of suicide over the 2011-2020 period, as well as one of the highest per capita levels of suicide attempts presenting to emergency departments.
Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes said she had been working with the Benalla community for many years on important mental health issues.
"Like so many in my home town my family has been left devastated by suicide," she said.
"I'm so proud of the government's commitment to fixing this broken system and it's great to see that the people of Benalla and across the region will get the mental health support they need closer to where they live."
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The Department of Health will immediately investigate options to establish services within each priority region.
This will involve a consultation process with established local providers.
The first of these local services would open from mid-2022, with all six of the initial services open by the end of 2022.
They will operate in partnership with reformed, area-based adult and older adult mental health and wellbeing services, and specialist statewide services - ensuring the right level of care is available in the right time.
Minister for Mental Health James Merlino said this was just the first step to implement the agenda set out in the final report stemming from the Royal Commission.
"It will take time, but these new localised mental health services will provide better coverage and easier access to services for Victorians, no matter where they live," he said.
"This is all about treating people early in the community, rather than too late in hospital."