Peta Dummett, chairperson of Headspace Griffith, was also in attendance and was pleased to have the opportunity to discuss a range of concerns affecting the community.

“We’ve submitted our business plan to Headspace national and we’re waiting for confirmation on our plan, and once we receive that it will be full steam ahead,” Ms Dummett said.

Ms Dummett expected the service would be ready around December or January.

Ideally it would be centrally located to ensure easy access and young people would be called upon to provide feedback on service delivery, Ms Dummett said.

Being from Crowther, between Young and Cowra, Senator Nash understood the importance of mental health services in regional NSW.

“It is an issue particularly for rural areas and obviously not just young people, where we’re dealing with issues from time to time around drought and those sorts of things and the stresses that go along with running farms and small businesses in rural areas,” Senator Nash said.

“Headspace will be really good in terms of young people specifically and being able to address some of those concerns.

“We were talking about how important it is for young people to have access to those services.

“There was a great need in Griffith, and they’ve put a great effort into it and that’s to be commended.”

It was the effort of a lot of people who had done a lot of work that led to the facility, said Mayor Dal Broi.

“We’ve been politically lobbying now for some years to get this facility based in Griffith, and through our local member Michael McCormack we were successful.

“It’s an area that perhaps some of us are not fully conversant with. There are young people out there who require help, they need somewhere to go and be treated and looked after. 

“It’s great not just for Griffith but the region generally because it will serve the western Riverina.”

Member for Riverina Michael McCormack was happy Senator Nash was able to visit.

“It was a good insight for Fiona to have because as Assistant Health Minister she’s got carriage of rural and regional health, so it was good to see where that was up to,” Mr McCormack said.

Peta Dummett said once the facility was officially approved, the rest of the year would be spent employing staff, setting up committees, and setting up a youth advisory group.

Headspace is the national youth mental health foundation.