Youth Wellbeing Service

Government-Funded Mental Health Support for Young People

At Spencer Health, we believe every young person deserves timely access to quality mental health care.

Through funding provided by Sydney North Health Network (SNHN), we are pleased to offer the Youth Wellbeing Service, providing free psychological support to eligible young people aged 12–21 years experiencing mild to moderate mental health concerns and who are experiencing barriers to accessing psychological support.

Our goal is to provide early intervention that helps young people develop the skills, confidence and resilience to improve their wellbeing before difficulties become more significant.

What We Offer

The Youth Wellbeing Service includes two evidence-based treatment options.

Individual Psychological Therapy

Eligible young people may access up to 10 funded individual psychology sessions with one of our experienced clinicians.

Therapy is individually tailored and may support mental health concerns such as:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Emotional regulation difficulties
  • Stress
  • Low self-esteem
  • School-related concerns
  • Adjustment difficulties
  • Mild trauma presentations
  • Other mild to moderate mental health concerns

Sessions may be provided face-to-face or via telehealth where clinically appropriate.

Emotion Wise Group Program

Emotion Wise is our DBT-informed emotional regulation program for young people.

The program includes:

  • 10 weekly sessions
  • Small groups (4–8 participants)
  • Practical emotional regulation skills
  • Distress tolerance
  • Mindfulness
  • Interpersonal effectiveness
  • Parent participation during the final two sessions

Groups are offered throughout the year as sufficient participant numbers become available.

If you would like more information on our Emotion Wise program, please follow the link here: https://spencerhealth.com.au/emotion-wise/

Who Is Eligible?

The Youth Wellbeing Service is designed for young people who:

  • are aged between 12 and 21 years;
  • are experiencing mild to moderate mental health concerns;
  • are likely to benefit from short-term psychological intervention;
  • are experiencing barriers to accessing timely psychological support, as determined through Spencer Health's referral review process.

 

As this is a government funded service, referrals are reviewed by our Program Lead to ensure the service is appropriate and that available appointments are allocated fairly and consistently.

Submitting a referral does not automatically guarantee acceptance into the program.

Youth Wellbeing 2
Youth Wellbeing 3

How Do I Access the Service?

Referrals are welcome from:

  • Parents and carers
  • Young people (where appropriate)
  • General Practitioners
  • Paediatricians
  • Psychiatrists
  • School counsellors
  • Teachers
  • Allied Health Professionals
  • Community organisations
  • Other health professionals

A GP referral is welcomed but is not required.

What Happens After I Submit a Referral?

Once your referral has been received:

  1. Our intake team will review your referral.
  2. If additional information is required, we will contact you.
  3. The referral will be reviewed by our Program Lead.
  4. If the young person is suitable for the service and a position is available, we will contact you to arrange an appointment.
  5. If the service is not the most appropriate option, we will assist with alternative recommendations where possible.

Important Information

As this service is funded through Sydney North Health Network:

  • appointments are limited;
  • referrals are reviewed individually;
  • eligibility and suitability are assessed before allocation;
  • where demand exceeds available appointments, referrals may be prioritised to ensure equitable access to care.

Is this service right for you?

This service is designed for young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health concerns who may benefit from short-term psychological intervention and are experiencing barriers to accessing mental health support.

It is not suitable for:

  • young people requiring emergency mental health care;
  • immediate suicide or crisis support;
  • severe mental illness requiring intensive specialist services;
  • young people requiring inpatient or acute mental health treatment.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 000 or attend your nearest Emergency Department.

Youth Wellbeing Service Referral Form – Funded Individual Psychological Services

Thank you for your interest in the Spencer Health Youth Wellbeing Service.

The Youth Wellbeing Service is funded by Sydney North Health Network and provides short-term psychological intervention for eligible young people aged 12–21 years experiencing mild to moderate mental health concerns.

This referral form may be completed by:

  • Parents and carers
  • Young people
  • General Practitioners
  • Schools
  • Paediatricians
  • Allied Health Professionals
  • Community organisations
  • Other referrers

Please allow approximately 5–10 minutes to complete.

By submitting this referral, you confirm that the young person and/or the person(s) with parental responsibility (where applicable) is aware of this referral and authorises Spencer Health to make contact to discuss the referral and determine whether the Youth Wellbeing Service is appropriate.

Please note that submission of this referral does not guarantee acceptance into the Youth Wellbeing Service. All referrals are reviewed by our intake team and Program Lead to determine eligibility, suitability and service availability.

This referral form is not monitored continuously and should not be used to request urgent mental health assistance. If there are concerns about a young person's immediate safety or they are experiencing a mental health crisis, please call 000 or attend your nearest Emergency Department.

This page was last reviewed: September 2026
If you require this information in an alternative format or need assistance to raise a concern, please contact our team and we will be happy to assist.