The Naala Djookan Healing Centre was officially launched yesterday and will offer clients a range of services including mental health support, counselling, alcohol and other drug, legal, housing and financial services all under one roof.
MercyCare will provide family support services and community liaison support as part of the new service.
WA Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Simone McGurk launched the hub, calling it, “a place of safety where people only need to tell their story once”.
"The one-stop hub approach will bring together and wrap services around those who use them, rather than requiring people experiencing family and domestic violence to go to a number of different places,” she said.
Ms McGurk praised the collaborative efforts of 12 community organisations, including MercyCare, that developed the service and will now deliver it as a pilot program.
MercyCare Executive Director Community, Family and Children Services David Holden said: “The Naala Djookan Healing Centre will help to meet a significant need for family violence services in this area.
“It’s wonderful that family violence survivors and those at risk of violence – usually women and children – will now have access to a range of support services, close to home.”
Naala Djookan, which means ‘Our Sisters’ in Noongar language, will be open to the public from Monday, December 7.
The centre was launched during the ’16 Days in WA’ campaign, which invites the community to encourage change in order to stop violence against women.
