Free face-to-face mental health supports are now available at the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Pakenham, Victoria.
Located at 16 Station Street, Pakenham, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local was officially opened by Victoria’s Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt on Wednesday 27 May 2026.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals support Victorians aged 26 years and over to access mental health and wellbeing care and support closer to home. All supports are free, voluntary and easy to access, with no referral required.
“More than 41,000 Victorians have already accessed free support through our Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals. We’ve delivered Locals just like this one right across Victoria – so more people can access the care they need,” Minister Stitt said.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Cardinia is delivered by Mind in partnership with Monash Health. Together, we provide psychosocial and clinical support that helps people in distress to manage daily activities, rebuild and maintain connections, engage with education and employment, and participate fully in the community.
Supports are available by phone and telehealth, through outreach services, and in-person by appointment. Community members can now access in-person appointments at the Cardinia Mental Health and Wellbeing Local’s co-locations in Pakenham, Cockatoo and Koo Wee Rup.
Mind CEO Gill Callister said the new service responds to a significant and growing need for accessible mental health support in the Cardinia community.
“We know how important services like this are for the Cardinia community. One in five residents report experiencing ‘high’ or ‘very high’ levels of psychological distress, while almost one in four people say they experience loneliness,” Ms Callister said.
“Staff and residents at our Haven Foundation residence in Pakenham tell us a similar story about the huge need in the community for this kind of support.
“We thank Minister Stitt and the Victorian Government for entrusting us to deliver this much-needed service.”
Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals have a ‘how can we help’ approach, making it easier for more people to access support in ways that work for them – particularly those who may previously have faced barriers to finding the right care.
At the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Cardinia, community members can access a multi-disciplinary team that includes a Lived Experience Team Leader, Peer Practitioners, Community Mental Health Practitioners, Social Workers and Clinicians. Peer Practitioners are specially trained to draw on their own experiences of distress and mental health challenges to support others.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Cardinia is connected to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Dandenong, operating together through a hub-and-spoke model, expanding the options available to people seeking support.
This means people in Cardinia also have access to group programs, allied health services and specialist staff.
Mind is also the lead provider for the Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals in Melton, Dandenong, Bendigo/Echuca and Mt Alexander.
To find your nearest Mental Health and Wellbeing Local call 1800 332 501 or visit the Better Health MHW Locals page.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals are not crisis services. In an emergency which is life-threatening or where there is immediate risk of harm to anyone, call Triple Zero (000). For 24-hour crisis support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islanders can also call 13 YARN on 13 92 76. 13 YARN is a 24/7 national crisis telephone service staffed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.