"Walking together in kindness" artwork produced for Gold Coast Health by Riki Salam, We are 27 Creative.
A new, purpose-built Child and Youth Mental Health Service (CYMHS) facility has officially opened on the Gold Coast, providing children, young people and families with a welcoming, community-based environment to support planned mental health care close to home.
Funded through the Mental Health Levy, the new CYMHS facility brings specialist teams together in one location, strengthening service integration and multidisciplinary collaboration and continuity of care within the community.
Located at Proxima within the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct (adjacent to Gold Coast University Hospital), the contemporary 1,400 square-metre facility has been designed to deliver developmentally informed and family-inclusive mental health care for children, adolescents and young adults up to 25 years of age.
Co-designed with clinicians, architects and young people with lived experience, its design prioritises psychological safety, comfort, privacy and recognises the important role environment plays in supporting engagement and recovery.
Gold Coast Health Clinical Director of Mental Health and Specialist Services (MHSS), Dr Sandeep Chand said the new CYMHS facility represents an important step forward in supporting young people with mental health needs on the Gold Coast.
“The facility gives our specialist teams the ability to deliver more connected, developmentally appropriate care for children, adolescents and young adults," Dr Chand said.
“CYMHS provides specialist, planned mental health care for young people experiencing moderate to severe and complex mental health challenges, working with them and their families to support recovery, wellbeing and everyday functioning.
“Bringing services together in a purpose-built, community-based environment strengthens coordination and early intervention, giving young people more seamless, timely care with the right supports in place for recovery.
"Planned, ongoing care continues, and crisis and emergency pathways remain unchanged.”
CYMHS delivers a broad range of specialist mental health services, including individual and family-based therapy, outreach and consultation, specialist programs for young people with complex needs and inpatient care when required. These services provide planned, ongoing support tailored to each young person’s needs.
Artist and lived experience advocate, Hayley Stanich said being part of the design process has been incredibly meaningful.
“When I accessed mental health services as a young person; the clinical spaces sometimes made it harder to feel at ease,” Hayley said.
"My experiences have helped inform a space that feels welcoming, calm and responsive to young people’s needs.
“From the artwork and colour choices to the layout of the waiting areas and therapy spaces, every detail has been created to help young people feel safe, supported and at ease when they walk through the door.
“The reception area will feature The Beach Scene, a calming artwork selected to help young people feel safe and connected from the moment they walk in. It shows how listening to lived experience leads to thoughtful, youth‑informed design that truly supports engagement and recovery.”
The facility includes private therapy rooms for individual, family and group sessions, sensory and quiet spaces, youth-friendly waiting areas designed for different age groups and flexible rooms that support a range of therapeutic activities. Natural light, calming finishes and curved design elements help support emotional regulation and reduce stress.
The new CYMHS facility represents a proactive investment in community-based youth mental health care, supporting earlier intervention, improved coordination and continuity of care for children, young people and families across the Gold Coast.
CYMHS Central Continuing Care Team and Adolescent Mobile Youth Outreach Service (previously Southport Health Precinct), Evolve Therapeutic Services (previously Southport Health Precinct), CYMHS Access Team and Consultation Liaison (previously Robina Health Precinct) will relocate to Proxima, Level 6, in the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct.
Appointments commence from 25 February 2026.
CYMHS community teams providing Gold Coast–wide care will continue to operate across multiple locations, including Proxima, the Robina Health Precinct and the Head to Health Kids site in Nerang, depending on what best meets the needs of the child or young person.
Referral pathways, service access points and crisis arrangements remain unchanged.
