Recommendation 21

Redesigning bed-based services for young people

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Status: Partially delivered and in progress

What the Royal Commission said

The Royal Commission recommended that the Victorian Government:

  • Review, reform and implement new models of multidisciplinary care for bed-based services for young people that are delivered in a range of settings, including in young people's homes and in fit-for-purpose community and hospital environments.
  • Deliver a broad range of bed-based services, including as a matter of immediate priority:
    1. Ensuring every region has a Youth Prevention and Recovery Centre for young people aged 16 to 25, supported through a common and consistent model of care;
    2. Creating a new stream of inpatient beds across Victoria for young people aged 18 to 25 by reconfiguring existing inpatient beds for adults and using an allocation of the 100 new beds referred to in Recommendation 11 <https://www.health.vic.gov.au/mental-health-reform/recommendation-11&gt;; (3) and
    3. Ensuring Hospital in the Home services are available for young people as an alternative to acute hospital-based treatment, care and support where appropriate.
  • Formally review the Youth Residential Rehabilitation Program, in consultation with young people, as well as families, carers and supporters.

What we've achieved

Youth Prevention and Recovery Care (YPARC)

  • Youth Prevention and Recovery Care (YPARC) <https://www.vhba.vic.gov.au/what-is-a-youth-prevention-and-recovery-car…; services provide short-term recovery-focused treatment, care and support in a residential setting for young people aged 16-25 experiencing mental health challenges.
  • YPARCs offer a ‘step up’ from community care or ‘step down’ from hospital care. Services are staffed 24 hours a day and provide support in a welcoming, home‑like environment.
  • In 2023, we released a statewide service framework for YPARC services. This framework was co‑designed with young people, as well as their families, carers, and supporters, to ensure consistent, high‑quality care across Victoria.
  • Since 2021–22, $141 million has been invested to ensure every region has access to a YPARC, expanding and improving services for young people across the state.
  • There are new YPARC services operating in or being delivered in every region.
  • Construction of new YPARC centres has been completed at four locations in Shepparton, Geelong, Heidelberg and Traralgon. The Heidelberg and Traralgon YPARCS are now operational, with the remaining two due to open in mid-2026.
  • Three YPARCS in Bendigo, Dandenong and Frankston have been upgraded and the Parkville YPARC opened in 2022.
  • This results in 50 new residential beds, with Centres having the capacity to provide prevention and recovery care services to more than 900 young people each year.

Hospital in the Home

  • The Victorian Government has invested in the continued delivery of Hospital in the Home (HITH) beds by Parkville Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Service for young Victorians in north-west metropolitan Melbourne.
  • These 10 HITH beds will provide more young Victorians with access to specialist mental health care in their own home with their support networks around them.

What we're doing

A new stream of youth inpatient beds

  • Planning is underway to introduce a new stream of inpatient beds for young people aged 18–25. This work is guided by a new statewide framework that helps to ensure care is consistent, age‑appropriate and focused on young people’s needs.
  • The framework has been shaped through input from young people, families, carers, supporters, and service providers. It is part of broader work to redesign inpatient mental health services in line with the Royal Commission’s recommendations, with the goal of improving access to care for people across Victoria.

Youth Prevention and Recovery Care (YPARC)

  • Construction is underway on a new YPARC centre in Ballarat which is due for completion in June 2026.
  • Each YPARC develops its own local model of care, guided by the statewide service framework, to make sure services meet local needs while providing consistent, high‑quality care across Victoria.
  • From 2026–27, every region will have a YPARC service operating.

Youth Residential Rehabilitation Program (YRR)

  • A formal review of the Youth Residential Rehabilitation program was completed in January 2023. Review findings will inform the design of the future community bed-based system for young people.

Updated

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