In regional areas, everybody knows everybody or knows someone who does! While this sense of community is fantastic, when it comes to mental health, sometimes privacy is key.
A new mental health service in Glen Innes is being embraced by the local community, offering both the comfort of in-person support and the discretion of private telehealth access, a combination that’s proving vital in a region where psychological services are often scarce or distant.
Since opening its doors at the old Westpac building on Grey Street, Rural Fit’s Glen Innes Health Hub has quickly become a trusted space for locals seeking mental health support. Backed by a partnership with telehealth platform HealthBright, the hub delivers counselling, online therapy, psychiatry and employee assistance programs, with a focus on affordability, accessibility and respect for personal circumstances.
Andrew Mahony, Managing Director of Rural Fit and operator of the Glen Innes Health Hub, said the service is meeting an important but previously unmet need in the region.
“We’ve been really encouraged by how quickly the community has engaged with the hub,” Mr Mahony said. “People appreciate being able to walk in, talk to someone in person, and get help navigating their options, especially if they’ve never used telehealth before.”
At the heart of the hub’s success is its Service Navigator, a staff member who helps clients register, make appointments and access private consultation rooms for telehealth sessions.
“For a lot of people, things like patchy Wi-Fi, unfamiliar technology, or just not knowing where to start can stop them from getting help. We take that pressure off,” Mr Mahony explained.
Importantly, the hub is also designed for those who prefer discretion when seeking support, including many in the farming and rural workforce.
“We’re seeing strong interest from people who want to talk to someone, but not necessarily someone in their own town. There’s a real demand for privacy, not because people are ashamed, but because they want to keep their mental health journey personal,” he said.
The partnership with HealthBright enables locals to connect with qualified mental health professionals across Australia, often with minimal wait times. Many of the services are bulk billed, including psychiatry, making them more accessible amid rising cost-of-living pressures.
“Mental health care should never feel out of reach,” said Sarah Richardson, CEO of HealthBright. “Telehealth is removing barriers like cost and distance – but having a physical space like the Glen Innes hub makes it even easier for people to take that first step.”
With around one in six Glen Innes locals experiencing high or very high psychological distress, and regional Australia facing a national shortage of mental health professionals, just 14 psychologists per 100,000 people compared to 86 in cities, the need for services like the Glen Innes Health Hub is clear.
Mr Mahony said the hub is helping people build confidence with telehealth so they can eventually access services from wherever they feel most comfortable, whether that’s their farm, their home, or on Country.
“This is about meeting people where they are, literally and emotionally,” he said.
For more information, visit www.gleninneshealthhub.com or www.healthbright.com.au.
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