Rural Young Minds

Samaritans provides mental health wellbeing support to youth in rural areas

Rural Young Minds (RYM) is a program for young people aged 12-25 years that have complex to severe mental health concerns.

The program addresses “the missing middle” of mental health and provides services to young people in the Muswellbrook, Upper Hunter, Liverpool Plains, Cessnock, Singleton, Dungog and Mid-Coast local government areas.

Services

Flexible appointments for locations including Muswellbrook, Scone, Merriwa, Aberdeen, Murrurundi, Quirindi, Cessnock, Singleton, Dungog, Gloucester and Taree
A comprehensive mental health assessment
Regular contact and follow up
Psychological interventions to improve mental health presentation and symptoms
3-6 months of support and intervention
Referrals to acute services if required
Referrals to lower level mental health services when required
Engagement and case management with other services to further improve mental health

Who we assist

Referrals to the Rural Young Minds service might look like:

Ongoing anxiety and/or depression that is not improving despite therapeutic interventions.

A young person who is experiencing suicidal thoughts/ideation that may have a plan and intent (young person must be able to enact a safety plan).

A young person that has attempted to end their life in the past two weeks and has since engaged with other services or their GP for management (young person must be able to enact a safety plan).

Mental health that is at risk of developing into an acute presentation.

Mental health concerns that impact a young person’s ability to engage with social situations and appropriate everyday self-care and functioning.

Young people do NOT need to have a mental health care plan for referral or engagement but appointments with a GP are encouraged and greatly assist the improvement and long-term management of mental health and wellbeing.

Rural Young Minds referral form

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