Minister Ley launches Psychology clinics in Brain and Mind Centre

Australia’s first School of Psychology has moved its expanded clinics in with the University of Sydney’s leading-edge Brain and Mind Centre – creating co-located cradle-to-grave mental health research, teaching and community clinics, including counselling, psychiatry and neuroscience.

Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, The Hon. Sussan Ley MP, toured the new facilities, including the Child Behaviour Research Clinic, which joined the Centre this year, the Gambling Treatment Clinic and purpose-built clinical training rooms for the University’s relocated Psychology Clinic near the Headspace youth mental health services.

The University of Sydney’s head of the School of Psychology, Professor Frans Verstraten, said the idea for the ‘one-stop-shop’ brain and mind facilities stemmed from a conversation he had with Centre co-director, Professor Ian Hickie.

“In mental health, taking people in, who are sometimes in desperate need of help, is of utmost importance,” Professor Verstraten said in a prepared speech launching the facilities today. “This should also reflect the buildings in which clinics are housed.”

“The service to the community will be better than ever; a mentally healthy population is the best investment in Australia’s future.”

Professor in Psychiatry and co-director of the Brain and Mind Centre Ian Hickie said the expanded Centre was an example of University leadership providing a crucial role in shaping next generation mental- and cognitive health care.

“We are excited to be leading the way in the provision of the full suite of best-practice, cost-effective brain and mind services to the community – with our multidisciplinary centre led by the best healthcare teams and researchers,” Professor Hickie said.

“Our Brain and Mind Centre also provides crucial, world-class interdisciplinary training in a clinical environment.”

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Duncan Ivison said the expanded Centre was the latest example of the University of Sydney’s focus on supporting cross-disciplinary research as well as education in real-world settings.

“Mental healthcare from cradle to grave has never been more important,” Professor Ivison said.

“We look forward to helping advance the national agenda through our research projects as well as by providing cutting-edge, innovative therapies to the public in the Brain and Mind Centre’s clinics, over the phone and online.”