Targeted community care (mental health) program - Family Mental Health Support Services (FMHSS)

• Funding/grant type:

  Recurrent

• Closing date:

  Not specified

Overview

Community organisations across Australia can apply for Australian Government funding to establish new Family Mental Health Support Services (FMHSS) to provide early intervention and intensive support to vulnerable children and young people affected by mental illness and their families.

New FMHSS work with children, young people and families to identify risk factors or issues which may lead to poor mental health outcomes later in life and work with the child, or young person and their family to address these issues, and strengthen protective or positive factors. Each new FMHSS service provides three levels of support to vulnerable children, young people and their families:

• intensive, long term, early interventions specifically for children and young people, and practical whole-of-family assistance. This can include targeted therapeutic group work
• information and referral for families requiring short-term immediate assistance
• community outreach, mental health promotion/education and community development activities to increase local capacity to understand and respond to children or young people and their families/carers.

The 2011-12 Budget allocated an additional $61 million over the five years from 2011-12 to 2015-16 for additional FMHSS to assist around 32,000 children and young people and their families. Funding is available to establish new FMHSS in specific coverage areas. Please see the links below for further details.

Contacts

Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Tuggeranong Office Park
Soward Way (cnr Athllon Drive)
Greenway ACT 2900
PO Box 7576
Canberra Business Centre ACT 2610
Ph: 1300 653 227
Email: FMHSSApplications@fahcsia.gov.au

Links

• View information: Targeted community care (mental health) program - Family Mental Health Support Services (FMHSS)
• View information: Program guidelines (PDF - 199.4 KB)
• View website: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs