Update on youth mental health program, emerge
emerge is a comprehensive program designed to provide clinical care coordination, psychological therapy, psychiatry, functional recovery, and peer work to young people aged 16-25 years who are experiencing severe and complex mental illness.
We have been commissioned by Adelaide Primary Health Network (PHN) to deliver the emerge program from locations in Adelaide’s northern and southern metropolitan regions. Our services are offered at headspace Edinburgh North, headspace Marion and a location near headspace Onkaparinga.
Over the years, Sonder’s emerge program has been the sole service in the northern and southern metropolitan regions that provides wrap-around supports tailored specifically for this “missing middle” cohort of young people. Since July 2018, we have witnessed significant demand, delivering an impressive 66,798 occasions of service to 1,664 young people.
Recently, Adelaide PHN conducted an evaluation of the emerge program, leading to the development of a new model called Youth Enhanced Services (YES). When YES was commissioned in December 2023, Sonder applied for the opportunity, but unfortunately, our application was unsuccessful. Consequently, Sonder’s emerge program is scheduled to conclude on June 30, 2023.
To access Adelaide PHN’s evaluation of the emerge program, we invite you to visit bit.ly/431tL7F. Additionally, for more information about Adelaide PHN’s commissioning cycles, please refer to bit.ly/3pKg3HR.
In a collaborative decision between Adelaide PHN and Sonder, referrals for emerge were closed as of February 10, 2023, to ensure that young people connected with the service could continue to receive psychological therapy, brief intervention or be referred to an alternative service. emerge will continue providing much-needed services for young people engaged in care until June 30, 2023.
Sonder has already initiated a transition period to support the preferred provider of YES, who will commence delivering services on July 1, 2023. We are committed to ensuring a seamless transition and encourage you to visit bit.ly/3BpB8dj for additional details.
For referrals to YES, please direct them to Adelaide PHN’s Central Referral Unit through ReferralNet/Argus (ID: CRU). For more information, please contact Mental Health Enquiry Line on 1300 898 213.
We would like to emphasise that this announcement does not impact Sonder’s headspace services for young people with mild-moderate mental illness at Edinburgh North, Marion, Adelaide, and Onkaparinga.
Should you have any enquiries or require clarification, please do not hesitate to contact Josh Steicke, Operations Lead at emerge North at jsteicke@sonder.net.au or Eloisa Steen, Clinical Lead at emerge South at esteen@sonder.net.au
Thank you for your support and understanding throughout this transition period.