Tullnerfeld launches free mental health support for young people

A new psychosocial service for children and young people has opened at Tullnerfeld railway station, the first of its kind in Lower Austria, ORF reports.

Operating for about a month, the service is for people aged up to 18. Consultations are free and available without an appointment; young people can also seek help anonymously if they wish. Parents may accompany children.

A multidisciplinary team includes specialists in child and adolescent psychiatry, clinical psychology, social work, social education, occupational therapy and music therapy. The aim is to provide early support and prevent mental health conditions from worsening, according to a statement.

The service is intended to help address rising demand for psychosocial care and a shortage of outpatient support, which can lead to long waits, state councillors Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister and Martin Antauer said in the statement. Care is outpatient, so no hospital stay is needed, and the service is also intended to ease pressure on child and adolescent psychiatry clinics.

The service is at Bahnhofsring 48 in Pixendorf. Appointments can be arranged by phone at +43 676 855 237 718 or by email at [email protected]. Walk-in hours are Mondays from 9am to noon, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 1pm, Tuesdays from 2pm to 5pm and Thursdays from 3pm to 6pm. The location at the railway station is intended to make access by public transport easier.

The pilot project is scheduled to run until the end of 2028, with up to four million euros available, according to the statement. Establishing psychosocial services for children and young people is also included in Lower Austria’s Health Plan 2040+.