Our lost youth: Is Orange any closer to getting a Safe Haven?

In September, Minister for Mental Health and Regional Health, Bronnie Taylor, was asked whether there was any consideration being given to placing a Safe Haven in Orange.

Ms Taylor confirmed there had been, going on to say "that's actually been in the process for quite some time now".

"We have had a lot of success with the Safe Haven model. We have had over 350 people through Parkes, which is quite amazing.

"What has been really interesting across Safe Haven is the percentage of people over 80 that have been accessing the Safe Havens. I think that is really interesting data that's coming out and that's why I'm keen to explore that."

But more than two months on from that parliamentary meeting, there has been no indication from Ms Taylor or otherwise that Orange was any further to getting one of the peer-based mental health facilities.

Member for Orange, Phil Donato, has previously spoken about the need for better facilities in the regions, going as far as to say that Orange "needed" a Safe Haven.

Speaking to the Central Western Daily in December, Mr Donato said he had heard rumblings regarding the facility and that he remained "hopeful" of his city getting a Safe Haven.

He did raise concerns that any potential mental health facility may be used for "political" gain.

"There's an election only a few months away and I'm sure they'll be making promises come election time as they do," he said.

"That would be a shame though, as we really need it now, we don't need it to be announced as an election sweetener in February or March.

"This could be up and running now, saving peoples' lives now, not waiting for an impending election before they make these announcements. This is something that's beyond politics, this is about peoples' mental health and well-being and it's about saving lives. It needs to be installed as soon as possible."

Mr Donato's comments were put to Ms Taylor's office, with a spokesman for the minister saying politics would not play a part in a decision one way or the other.

"The NSW Government is always looking to expand incredible services like our Safe Havens, and decisions will be based on evidence-based policy, not politics," the spokesman said.

"Our immediate focus is on supporting communities in the Central West as they recover from the ongoing flood disaster."

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