The Andrews Labor Government has today announced the consortium selected to run the new Mental Health Statewide Trauma Service (STS) – a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

Traumatic events and experiences can lead to a wide range of mental health and wellbeing difficulties, and the new Mental Health STS will help embed trauma-informed practice in the new mental health and wellbeing system.

The new service will bring together the very best mental health practitioners, trauma experts, peer workers, consumers and carers with lived experience to deliver better outcomes for Victorians living with trauma.

The Mental Health Statewide Trauma Service consortium includes:

• Phoenix Australia (lead consortium agency)
• Victorian Aboriginal Childcare Agency (VACCA)
• Australian Psychological Society
• Mindful
• Foundation House – the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture
• Berry Street
• Orygen
• SANE
• Royal Women’s Hospital – Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA House)
• Austin Health – Psychological Trauma Recovery Service, Mental Health Division
• The Bouverie Centre
• The Royal Melbourne Hospital – NorthWestern Mental Health
• Thorne Harbour Health

The Department of Health will fund and work with the appointed Mental Health STS consortium to conduct trauma research, support the mental health and wellbeing workforce to provide trauma-informed care, create digital peer-led support platforms, and coordinate and facilitate access to trauma experts.

Work is now underway on more than 90 per cent of the Royal Commission’s recommendations with $1.3 billion delivered in the Victorian Budget 2022/23, building onlast year’s record investment of $3.8 billion – the largest single investment in mental health in Victoria’s history.