Australia's Victorian Government has announced the commencement of construction work on the new Shepparton Youth Prevention and Recovery Care (YPARC) Centre.

This project aims to boost the existing mental healthcare services and support for young people in the Shepparton region.

The government stated that the construction of this YPARC facility is a major recommendation from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. 

YPARC centres are designed to offer round-the-clock community-based services and support for young individuals, primarily those aged 16 to 25 years, who are facing mental health issues.

Once open, the Shepparton YPARC site will function as a community-based treatment option for young people who are in their early stages of recovery. 

Serving as an alternative to hospital admission, the facility will offer early intervention care to unwell patients.

Operating on a referral basis, the Shepparton centre will enable young individuals to maintain their work or school commitments while receiving the necessary care, treatment, and support in a safe, homelike environment.

It will include ten bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, breakout spaces, outdoor garden areas, dining and living areas, as well as a communal kitchen.

This design also ensures ample room for leisure and recreational activities, visits from families, and both group activities and individualised support.

Victoria Mental Health Minister Ingrid Stitt said: “We are giving young Victorians confidence that when they need mental health support, there are local services that will give them the tailored mental healthcare they need, close to home.

“The Royal Commission highlighted the need for more youth mental health services, and we are delivering on that by expanding the YPARC service network right across the state - including in Shepparton.”  

Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA), in collaboration with Goulburn Valley Health and Nicholson Construction, is overseeing the delivery of the Shepparton YPARC centre.

The project is part of A$141m ($95.06m) investment by the Victorian government aimed at doubling the capacity of the state’s YPARC network.

This funding also supports the development of YPARC centres across regions such as Geelong; Ballarat; Heidelberg; and Traralgon, and upgrades the existing sites in Dandenong; Bendigo; and Frankston.