The state government has handed over $2.3 million to establish the LikeMind Centre, the third of its kind in NSW, following the opening of centres in Sydney’s Seven Hills and Penrith.

This early intervention model is expected to prove so successful that it will be rolled out to other locations throughout the state including Dubbo and Wellington.

There are a lot of great things about living in a large regional city such as Orange and when it comes to health care there are fewer places, outside of large metropolitan cities, which offer the same level of care.

Once established, the LikeMind Centre will also complement existing services such as headspace, which opened in Orange late last year, and caters for the mental health needs of children and teenagers.

Previously, people with mental health issues, including associated problems such as alcohol dependence and drug addiction, have had to travel from service to service to access treatment.

This one-stop-service will allow people to access help without the need of a referral or an appointment. 

Of course the desired result is that people with mental health problems will be able to find help before they need to hospitalised or institutionalised.

With an estimated 3.7 millions Australians battling mental illness everyday anything that can be done to address the problem must be applauded.

The fact that Orange is at the forefront of offering this latest model of care is something that should make us all sleep better at night.