What is telehealth?
Althoughheadspacegenerally provides in-person counselling support, due to COVID-19, and the current climate with physical distancing measures, to ensure we are able to still provide a service to young people, their families and friends, we are using a combination of telehealth and in-person services.
Telehealth services consist of any health-related communication via telephone and video conferencing platforms and applications. Instead of in-person appointments, we are now providing online appointments over phone calls and video calls using ‘Zoom’.
To find out more about our telehealth services, such as:
How to use telehealth services
How to make the most of telehealth services
Confidentiality
Troubleshooting
Frequently Asked Questions
Please download -Guidelines for Young People to use Telehealth
You can download our factsheet forsetting up a safe space at home to talk with your counsellor.
Feedback Survey
If you have used our telehealth services, and would like to provide some feedback on how it went and how we can improve, please fill out thesurvey here
Consent Form
If you are new to telehealth or would like further information on our privacy, consent, and confidentiality information, please download our
For additional information on telehealth, please visit -headspace online and phone services (telehealth)
If you are having any questions or concerns with using our telehealth services, please contact us:
02 9393 9669orheadspace.bankstown@flourishaustralia.org.au
Young People
If you are a young person and wish to see someone atheadspaceBankstown, you are welcome to email, call or drop in during our businesshours to discuss your options. You can also check out our headspace Welcome Pack here, which has a bunch of info about the services we provide. Parents, Family, Carers and Friends
Service Providers
If you are a service provider, health professional, or from a school and wish to refer a young person toheadspaceBankstown, please completeourService Provider Referral Form. Prior to completing the form, please ensure that you have obtained the young person's consent and provide as much information as possible so thatheadspaceBankstown's Intake Officer can determine the suitability and the most appropriate treatment options for the young person.headspaceBankstownwill contact the young person and inform you thereafter of the outcome of your referral with us.
Please return this form by email to headspace.bankstown@flourishaustralia.org.auor fax (02) 8367 5124.
We recommend that you follow up the emailed or faxed referral with a phone call, just to make sure we've received it.
Our phone number is: (02) 9393 9669.We welcome all feedback and suggestions regarding our referral process. If you'd like to fill out our feedback form, it can be found here.
Please note:headspaceBankstowndoes not offercrisis or emergency support. If you or someone you care for needs immediate emergency support, please call 000 (Police, Fire, Ambulance), go to a hospital emergency department or call the NSW Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511.
For after-hours services, please contact:
- eheadspace on 1800 650 890 or eheadspace.org.au (9am-1am, 7 days a week)
- The Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (24/7)
- Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24/7)
- Mental Health Line1800 011 511 (24/7)
we can help youget to where youwant to go
Do you need help with looking for a job orjob training?
Or support in starting a career?Or advice on study options?
No matter whereyou’re at, headspace Work & Study is here tohelp you move forward.It doesn’t matter who you are or where you live.If you’re aged between 15-25, we’re here for you.Everything is private and totally confidential.And there’s absolutely no cost.
We have a team of friendly vocational specialists at our centre who will work closely with you towards your study and/or employment goals. And if you're not sure what your future goals look like, they can help with that too.
Ways we can help:
- Explore different career paths
- Building your confidence
- Being your best in job interviews
- Developing a tailored resume & cover letter
- Spotting training opportunities
- Navigating Centrelink
- Ongoing support once you're working
Tell me how I can get involved?
Call or email us to find out more, or if you're already connected to our service, chat to your Youth Access Clinician.They can arrange a meet and greet with a vocational specialist.If you choose to participate in the program, an initial appointment will be arranged so you can start a vocational profile, job search activities or other goal-setting objectives to get you to your best future.
We can be reached on (02) 9393 9669 or by emailing hwsbankstown@flourishaustralia.org.au
You can read more about headspace Work & Studyhere.
Useful resources:
Time Management
Priority Planner 1
Priority Planner 2
How to Use the Priority Planner
Reverse Timeline
Budgeting
Budget Planner
Job Seeking
Resume Template 1
Resume Template 2
Cover Letter Guide and Example
Our centre is located in the 'Bankstown City Capital Centre', which is directly across from Bankstown Central Shopping Centre, next to McDonald's on Rickard Road.
Our address is Suite 1, 41-45 Rickard Road, Bankstown. We are located on the ground floor straight down the footpath in the first photo, towards the right side. We are wheelchair accessible, and have a gender neutral bathroom.
If you're having a little trouble finding us, please call on 9393 9669, let reception know that you are unable to find the office and tell us your location and we can try and guide you to our office.
The front of our building complex
The walkway to our centre
The front of our centre
Here at headspace Bankstown, it takes a bunch of wonderful and passionate people to complete our team and help support the young people that visit our centre.
Our Team
Aniela -Senior Clinical Manager - currently on extended leave
Amanda - Senior Clinical Manager
Michelle - Clinical & Operations Manager
Fave song for a good mood? "Sunday Best" by Surfaces
Shannon - Clinical Lead
Fun fact? "Bee pheromones smell like banana lollies(the actual lolly, not the plant)"
Mariah - Practice Manager
"People don't always need advice.Sometimes all they really need is a hand to hold,an ear to listen and a heart to understand them."- Anonymous
Carmen - Administration Support Officer
"Adventure is not in a particular activity.It is a way to approach life.Every step can be an adventure!!!"
Angie - Administration Support Officer
Something on your bucket list? "To seethe Northern Lights"
Marwa - Service & Community Development Officer
Dream travel destination? "There are so many but Egypt has always been on the list"
Linda - Senior Youth Access Clinician
Favourite book? "The Road Less Travelled" - because it challenges me to reflect on my inner self andbecome a more loving person.
Surleen - Senior Youth Access Clinician
Fave song for a good mood? "Hall of Fame" by The Script
Kimberly - Youth Access Clinician
Chantell - Youth Access Clinician
Fun fact? "The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows!"
Alicia - Youth Access Clinician
Fave song for a good mood? "Hey Ya!" by Outkast
Jolene - Alcohol & Drug Clinician
Something on your bucket list? "Learn how to kayak"
Ali - Alcohol & Drug Clinician
Fave Drive? Grand Pacific Drive
Maria - Alcohol & Drug Clinician
Favourite quote?“The only way out is in” – Junot Díaz
Danielle - Vocational Specialist
Fave thing about working at headspace Bankstown: "Having the opportunity to come to work everydayand be myself, express myself creatively,feel accepted and help create a safe environment forevery person that walks through the door."
Raaniyah - Vocational Specialist
Something on your bucket list? "To do deep sea diving in the Maldives"
Tina - Vocational Specialist
Dream travel destination?Japan - as it seems like the type of quirky andfascinating place that me and my kids will enjoy.And Hawaii... for the paradise destination."
Adam - Vocational Coordinator
"There is no destination in a well lived life.There is only the journey."- Aubrey Marcus.
Mitra - Clinical Educator
Something on your bucket list? "Write a book hopefully in the next 20-30 years."
Amelia - Practice Nurse
"Our heartbeats change and mimic the music we listen to. music can slow the heart down or rev it up depending on the tempo."
Youth Reference Group
headspace Bankstown's Youth Reference Group (YRG) is a volunteer team of young people who are advocates for youth mental well-being and are interested in making a difference for the Canterbury-Bankstown community. Many of the YRG members have a lived experience or know someone with a mental health concern which provides valuable insight to ensure young people's voices and opinions remain important in headspace Bankstown's mission.
Our YRG members represent headspace Bankstown through assisting and planning various community events such as annual Youth Week activities, Mental Health Month, creating youth community projects and many more.
Monthly meetings are held to discuss centre and service improvement opportunities and plan upcoming events. YRG members have the opportunity to meet like-minded people and to participate in memorable social team building activities.
Youth Reference Group members with other local youth volunteer groups at an event for Youth Week 2022
Family & Friends Reference Group
The Family and Friends Reference Group is a group who may have had a family member or friend access headspace services or a lived experience with mental health issues. They consult with ourcentre on a variety of topics and issues, and are involved in a number of local and national projects.
The reference group aims to give family members and friends the opportunity to provide input into the strategic direction of headspaceBankstown, widerheadspace programs and services.
Private Practitioners (PP):
Dr Phil - Provisional Psychologist
Mariana - Registered Psychologist
Stuart - Registered Psychologist
Sussan - Registered Dietitian
Doctors:
Dr. Josephine - Psychiatrist
Dr. Jennifer - General Practitioner (GP)
Dr. Erainia - General Practitioner (GP)
Dr. Rachel - General Practitioner (GP) - currently on extended leave
Contributing Consortium Members:
The Salvation Army (headFYRST)
South West Sydney Local Health District (SWS LHD)
Black Dog Institute
One Door Mental Health
Canterbury-Bankstown City Council
Lifeline Macarthur
Dokotela
ACON
Mission Australia
Arab Council
The REACH Foundation
WISE Employment
Beyond Blue (NewAccess)
BreakThru
Marrickville Legal Centre
headspace Bankstown provides youth mental health services to schools and the community in the Bankstown and Canterbury local area.
The Service & Community Development Officer is able to provide the following:
- Attend a mental health event and hold a stall
- Provide educational workshops on mental health & other topics
- Presentations about our service and referral pathways
- Promotional material, and
- In service tour where you are able to visit our centre, meet our staff and find out more about headspace Bankstown
The services provided have a health promotion and education focus.
We deliver these services to promote positive mental health and wellbeing (please note that these services do not have a medical or therapeutic focus).
Please download and fill out ourSCDRequest Formfor any of the above services and return it to headspace.bankstown@flourishaustralia.org.au
For resources & other promotional material, please complete our Resource Request Form.
For more information, please contact the Service & Community Development Officer at headspace Bankstown:
E: headspace.bankstown@flourishaustralia.org.au
P: (02) 9393 9669
At headspace Bankstown, we run clinical and non-clinical groups for young people as well as for their family & friends. They are all FREE of charge.
Our current and upcoming groups include:
ECLIPSE: A group for suicide attempt survivors
Feeling a sense ofacceptance, sharedidentity and hope are some of the benefitsto why groups are so important. Facilitated by Lifeline, ECLIPSE offers emotional support andexplores coping strategies to help keepparticipants safe in the future.The group is a safe space whereparticipants can talk openly about theirsuicidal ideation and attempts with otherswho share similar lived experiences,regardless of whether it was recent or inthe past.
This FREE group is open to young people aged 16-25 years and runs for 8 consecutive weeks.
Begins Wednesday, 15th February 2023 from 4:30pm-6:30pm.
Location: headspace Bankstown
Download the flyer.
headspace hangout - A social group for 18-25 year olds
We know it can be hard making new friends - from people moving on with life, to struggling with social anxiety, or anything else that may get in the way. That's why we're running a social group for all 18-25 year olds in the community who would like a chance to meet new people and have fun with different activities throughout the year.
The group is completely FREE with snacks provided and will run throughout the year. Young people can choose which days they'd like to attend with no commitment necessary, and will include considerations for people with anxiety, neurodiversity, other mental health concerns and all abilities.
To be held every month:
- Second Wednesday 5pm-7pm
- Last Friday 4pm-6pm
Location: headspace Bankstown with opportunities to go out.
Download our flyer which lists all of the scheduled activities for the year.
If you are interested in any of the groups we offer, please complete our Expression of Interest (EOI) form linked here. You will be contacted to provide confirmation of your spot within the groups you select interest in, as well as further participation information closer to the date.
PRIDE Group
This is a social group, where LGBTQIA+ young people aged 16-25 are welcome in a safe and inclusive space to connect with others who are also a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. It is a closed, private group where confidentiality is held at all times.
If you'd like to join, please complete our EOI form here. You will be contacted to confirm your membership within the group and for further participation information.
If you would like more info, please contact us on (02) 9393 9669 or email us at headspace.bankstown@flourishaustralia.org.au.
Other Services at Our Centre
In support of delivering proactive and holistic mental wellbeing, we currently offer dietetic and sexual health services. They are free of charge, maintain confidentiality, and are inclusive of all gender identities and sexualities.
Dietetics Services
Our dietitian can help young people:
- Learn how food affects mood and wellbeing
- Explore how food and medication can impact each other (e.g. ADHD medication)
- Eating disorder and disordered eating support
- Learn about myths and misconceptions around nutrition
- Manage other health issues (e.g. athlete nutrition, IBS, endometriosis, PCOS, cholesterol, diabetes)
- Learn how to plan, cook and prepare meals
Sexual Health Services
Our practice nurse can help young people:
- Learn about sex and staying safe
- Get STI checks (urine and self-swab available) and help treat possible infections
- Explore contraception options
- HIV prevention, testing & treatment
- Learn about pregnancy, offer advice, and get a pregnancy test
- Have a blood test if required
- Have a cervical screening test
If you have any questions about our services, reach out to us on (02) 9393 9669 or headspace.bankstown@flourishaustralia.org.au
Alternatively, feel free to visit us at Suite 1, Ground Floor East, 41-45 Rickard Road, Bankstown, NSW, 2200.
Did you know that we have youth-friendly General Practitioners (GP)?
You can choose to see Dr. Jennifer Martinez or Dr. Erainia Wu. Please call (02) 9393 9669 to confirm availability if you would like to book an appointment.
We use bulk-billing arrangements through Medicare so when you visit and use our services, it will not cost you anything.
Learn how to get your own Medicare card by clicking on our 'How to Get Your Own Medicare Card' tab on our website (underneath the 'Our GP' tab).
For a factsheet on how to get help from a GP, as well as other information, you can access ithere.
Do you have a Medicare card?
This green piece of plastic (or digital card on the Medicare app) is your golden ticket to seeing doctors and other services for free (or low-cost). You may already be on your family’s Medicare card and receiving the benefits, but did you know if you’re 15 or older and live in Australia or Norfolk Island, you can probably get your own personal card? With your own card you'll be able to control who you share your appointment history with.
Here, we’ll give you the lowdown about what Medicare is and the simple steps to get yourself a card. It’ll be helpful if you:
- don’t have a card and want to get one
- are on your family’s card and want your own
- just want to learnabout how it all works
But first: what is Medicare?
Medicare is Australia’s public health system. It gives people cheaper (and often free!) doctor’s visits, in person and via telehealth, medicines, and lets you go to public hospitals as a public patient. It also provides up to 20 sessions each year with a mental health professional if you get a mental health treatment plan & referral from your GP.
What is a Medicare card?
A Medicare card is a plastic card with your Medicare number on it that proves you’re covered by Medicare. They also have an app, if you don’t like carrying plastic cards around.
You can have multiple people, like a family or a couple, on the one card. If you're on a joint card then other people on the account can see your appointments, but they can't see why you're having the appointment, or what you talk about.
What is bulk billing?
Bulk billing is when your doctor lets you use your Medicare card to cover the cost of your appointment, so you don’t have to pay for anything.
Keep in mind not all doctors bulk bill, so if that’s the case they’ll charge you directly and you’ll get money back from Medicare later. You canfind a list of doctors and clinics that bulk billin Australia.
How do I get my money back from Medicare later?
The easiest way is to ask the receptionist to make an electronic claim for you when you pay at the doctor’s office. If they can, they’ll do it straight away and as soon as it has been processed, you’ll either receive the money in the same account as the EFTPOS card you used to pay, or the bank account you’ve registered with Medicare.
If they can’t submit the claim at your doctor’s office, you can submit the claim via yourMedicare online accountor through the Express Plus Medicare app.
What is a gap?
If Medicare doesn’t cover all of the cost of your appointment, this is the amount that’s left that you must pay. It’s good to ask if you’ll have to pay a gap when you book your appointment, so you know what to expect.
Why should I get one?
There are a bunch of advantages to getting your own Medicare card:
- You’ll be able to get support for your own wellbeing – like going to a psychologist or getting a sexual health check up – with less worry about who can see that you've had the appointment.
- You’ll get a sense of independence having a card of your own.
- The government only issues up to three copies of the one card, so if there are four or more people in your family, getting your own card will be more convenient.
- A Medicare card can also count as ID evidence for all sorts of things, like applying for a passport.
How do I get my own Medicare card?
It’s pretty simple to get your Medicare card. Just follow these steps:
1. Complete aMedicare enrolment form
2. Send your completed form and supporting documents to Services Australia via post (address is on the form) or via email.
Supporting documents could include copies of your birth certificate, driver’s licence, learner’s permit or passport as well as residency documents such as lease agreements and evidence of employment.
3. Wait for Services Australia to mail you your card.
You can also download the Express Plus Medicare mobile app to access a digital copy of your Medicare card.
If you’re already on your family’s Medicare card and want your own, it is even easier.
You can do this online through your Medicare online account (this is linked through your myGov account), or the Express Plus Medicare mobile app.
Services Australia has put together a helpfulstep-by-step guideon how to request a new card.
What if I’m Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and don’t have standard identity documents?
No worries, you can still get a Medicare card by using a referee instead.
You and your referee will need to fill in theAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medicare enrolment and amendment form.
Then take your form to your local agent,access point or service centre.
If you need help, you can call theIndigenous Access Line.
Who can be a referee?
A community elder, medical/health service manager, nurse, school principal, any permanent Commonwealth employee with 5 or more years of continuous service, council chairperson, minister of religion and a welfare organisation worker.
If you don’t have one already, it’s also worth checking if you’re eligible for ahealthcare cardorlow-income healthcarecard. These cards are for anyone who earns under a certain amount, or is on a Centrelink benefit. They count as concession for things like public transport, and mean the government will pay more of your health services.Find out more about concessions.
Do you have any praise, suggestions or complaints about headspace Bankstown's services or centre?We're interested to hear your feedback!
You can do this by filling out a quick survey linked below. It is confidential and anonymous, so you don’t have to leave your details, however, if you would like to receive a response from from us, please leave your contact details in the last section of the survey.
Complete our Feedback Form here.