Department of Health

Box Hill HOPE service commences

People living in the Manningham, Monash, Whitehorse, and Boroondara local government areas of Melbourne will now be able to access the life-saving Hospital Outreach Post-suicidal Engagement (HOPE) service in their local community.

20/07/21

The Box Hill HOPE service is a follow-up and aftercare service for people 18 years of age or more who attend a hospital in crisis or following a suicide attempt.

The service was officially launched by Paul Hamer MP, Member for Box Hill, last week.

Delivered by Eastern Health, the Box Hill HOPE service provides up to 12 weeks of clinical and practical support tailored to individuals and their support networks including family, friends, carers, community cultural leaders and Elders.

Ten new jobs (six full-time equivalent positions) have been created to deliver the Box Hill HOPE service, to deliver a model of care that is individually tailored, culturally responsive, and promotes healing and recovery.

The HOPE service helps people to identify and build strategies to prevent suicide. It does this by helping people to address factors that contributed to their distress and suicide attempt.

This may involve helping people find housing and employment, or connecting them to support services in their community. The HOPE team can help people access education and training, legal support, Centrelink, drug and alcohol or relationship and family services.

The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System recommended expanding the HOPE service from 12 to 21 areas throughout Victoria, providing statewide access.

The statewide HOPE expansion will mean more people can access the service, in both metropolitan and regional locations.

The 2021-22 Victorian State Budget included $159.95 million for the continued delivery and expansion of HOPE, including further subregional outreach into rural and regional Victoria, and the continued design and development of a new HOPE service dedicated to children and young people.

Find out more about the HOPE expansion.

Reviewed 24 March 2022

Health.vic

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Mental Health and Wellbeing Division

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