Temporary closure of referrals for Sonder’s emerge north program

An update on Sonder’s youth mental health program, emerge north

Temporary closure of referrals for ongoing clinical mental health services at our Edinburgh North location

Sonder’s emerge program provides clinical care coordination, psychological therapy, psychiatry, functional recovery and peer work to young people aged 16-25 years experiencing severe and complex mental illness.

The program is delivered from locations in Adelaide’s Northern and Southern metropolitan regions at headspace Edinburgh North, headspace Marion and a location proximal to headspace Onkaparinga.

Due to continued high demand as well as recent staff changes, waiting times for the emerge North program, have significantly increased. To manage this demand and to ensure we can provide supports to young people currently within our program or on our waitlist, we are temporarily changing how we deliver services.

Sonder’s emerge program in the north will not accept new referrals for ongoing mental health support during this time. However, the program will continue to accept referrals for young people seeking short-term, lower intensity mental health services, provided by Peer Practitioners with lived experience of mental health issues. These changes will not impact young people who are currently accessing the emerge program, and all services in the program will continue as usual.

These changes will come into effect from Monday 5 September and is initially forecast to be a six week period, ending Friday 21 October. Please note, these changes will only impact the emerge program delivered in the northern metropolitan region, referrals to Sonder’s emerge program in the south will remain unimpacted.

Any amendments to these dates of temporary closure of referrals will be communicated.

During this period, young people seeking ongoing mental health support are encouraged to contact the Head to Health Phone Service on 1800 595 212 for assessment and navigation support.

Adelaide PHN’s Mental Health Enquiry Line for GPs is also available on 1300 898 213 and provides information and referral support for local mental health services.

Sonder’s emerge program in the north will continue to offer Check-in Space, a drop-in service which operates weekly from headspace Edinburgh North on Wednesdays, from 2 pm until 5.30 pm. This is available for young people aged 12-25 to self-refer to.

Sonder’s Walk-in After-hours Service is also available for people aged 16 years and above, from 5 pm – 9 pm, Monday to Friday at Sonder Edinburgh North. No appointment or referral is required for this service. For more information, visit sonder.net.au/walk-in-after-hours-mental-health-service.

These changes will not impact services provided by headspace Edinburgh North or the emerge program located in the southern metropolitan region.

For young people seeking ongoing support, included below is a list of recommended services:

  • Private bulk billing psychology/accredited mental health social workers – visit psychology.org.au/find-a-psychologist or aasw.asn.au to find local practitioners
  • Sonder’s social enterprise, Solasta co-located at Klemzig Medical Village Clinic, offers high quality psychology and therapy services.
  • My Mirror offers psychologists via Telehealth and online services through a referral with a MHCP. Services are bulk-billed for health care card holders.
  • Someone Health offers bulk billed online and telehealth services with accredited psychologists.
  • Uniting Communities Mental Health and Counselling Services (1800 615 677).
  • Lived Experience Telephone Support Service is available every day from 5 pm – 11.30 pm and operated by individuals with lived experience of mental health conditions. It provides supportive counselling and service navigation support provided free of charge to all.
  • Crisis support lines including; CAMHS Connect (1300 222 647), Mental Health Triage (13 14 65), Kids Help Line (1800 55 1800) and Lifeline (13 11 14)
  • Online resources including; Mood Gym, eheadspace, ecouch and Head to Health – a directory of evidenced based web interventions for common mental health conditions and can be searched for other similar options

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jess Johnson, emerge North Operations Lead on jjohnson@sonder.net.au, or Josh Steicke, emerge North Clinical Lead on jsteicke@sonder.net.au.