A $3.6 million suicide prevention project will target homosexual and “gender-questioning” youths in the Geelong region, Mental Health Minister Lisa Neville has announced.
Ms Neville, the Labor Member for Bellarine, also revealed State Government plans for a separate program targeting Kooris as part of a focus on “Aboriginal and same-sex-attracted young people”.
Ms Neville said the youth plan would target Geelong and Shepparton.
“We want to ensure we are providing the right support for vulnerable young people, which is why we are investing in more funding for prevention services.”
Geelong’s share of the funding would be $215,000 annually over four years for council’s Geelong Adolescent Sexuality Project (GASP).
The program would “strengthen the relationships” between GASP and other youth agencies including mental health and housing services, she said.