The Family Mental Health Support Service (FMHSS) provides innovative and flexible early intervention support services to enhance the wellbeing of children and young people aged between birth to 18 who are at risk of an emerging mental health issue.
How we can help
We work with children and young people feeling stressed and worried to help them better cope with their circumstances, improve their sense of wellbeing, and help family members to better understand and respond to their loved one’s situation.
We work with families for six sessions to provide short term support, or we can work intensively for up to 12 months based on needs.
We offer an outreach-based service to provide assistance in an environment that is safe and comfortable.
We respect and welcome diversity, and we care about your cultural beliefs.
We respect children and young people’s right to a confidential and safe service, and will explain our confidentiality processes.
Our program offers the following services
- Information and referral for families: we can provide information about what supports are required, and we will personally assist to link you with relevant local community services.
- Advocacy: we negotiate with services to ensure positive outcomes for families, children and young people (e.g. legal aid services, education, housing, financial services, medical).
- Targeted emotional support for families, children and young people: we have highly trained staff who can assist with managing mental health issues, and provide capacity-building exercises, coping strategies, relaxation techniques, and family relationship support.
- Family support: we provide basic support to help the family manage their lives effectively such as establishing routines, identifying different practical strategies to improve communication with other family members, and if necessary, linking in with more specific supports (e.g. home-based support services, conflict resolution, mediation, crisis response services).
- Education and skills development for families and young people: we can help our clients to access educational programs and workshops to help increase understanding about emotional and mental wellbeing across the lifespan.
- Peer support for families, children and young people: we provide opportunities for learning and social connection with others going through similar experiences.
- Community awareness and development: we are committed to supporting communities in using culturally appropriate dance, art, ceremony, food and crafts to promote mental health education.
Making a Referral or Enquiry:
We are available from Monday to Friday, 9am- 5pm if you would like to speak with a FMHSS counsellor.
Alternatively, if you leave a web-based service enquiry (please see below), a team member will respond to you as soon as possible.
Locations Available
Western Team:
The Western team is located at our Port Adelaide office and works with families, young people and children residing in the outer western regions of Le Fevre Peninsula, Port Adelaide, Charles Sturt, Woodville and Hindmarsh.
Port Adelaide Office:
8 Butler Street, Port Adelaide
8340 2022
Northern Team:
The Northern team is based in the Elizabeth Office and works with families, young people and children residing in the Northern regions of Playford, Two-Wells, Gawler.
Elizabeth Office:
13 Elizabeth Way
PO Box 444
Elizabeth, SA 5112
08 8255 3323
Locations Available
Cost
There is no cost for this service.
Funding Acknowledgement
Family Mental Health Support Service is provided by Relationships Australia South Australia Ltd and funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.
Service Enquiry
Use this form to enquire about our services.
