We’re excited to announce that Odyssey will be part of a new 30-bed residential rehabilitation facility that will be built in Merbein, just out of Mildura.
Odyssey in partnership with Sunraysia Community Health Service, the Mallee District Aboriginal Service and the Mildura Base Public Hospital, was successful in our consortium bid to help establish and then operate the new facility. Whilst Sunraysia will lead the consultations and model design phase, the consortium has agreed that Odyssey will lead the operation of the new service once building is completed (around 2026).
Funded by the Victorian Government, the $36 million facility is the first of its kind in the region. CEO Stefan Gruenert joined the Minister for Mental Health, Ingrid Stitt, in Mildura for the announcement, together with Aboriginal Elders and consortium members.
This new facility means people seeking AOD treatment and support in Mildura and across the Mallee region, can stay connected to their communities and get the help they need without travelling long distances.
The facility includes an additional two withdrawal beds, and family accommodation for parents and children. We expect that it will accommodate a significant number of Aboriginal residents.