100 signatures reached
To: Mental Health Care Workers
Save the Safe Haven Cafe!
We demand that St Vincent's Health:
- Reverses the decision to permanently close the Safe Haven Cafe, a vital mental health service that provides non-clinical, peer-led support to people facing mental health challenges.
- Increases consultation with staff and establishes a working group made up of LLEW (Lived & Living Experience Workers) and mental health professionals to co-design a sustainable model for the Safe Haven Cafe.
- Honours their vow to delivering person-centred care based on values of compassion, excellence, integrity & justice - and maintains their special commitment to people from marginalised communities.
Why is this important?
The Safe Haven Cafe offers a vital alternative to emergency department visits for people experiencing non-urgent mental health issues. It's led by LLEW (Lived & Living Experience Workers), providing compassionate, peer-based support that is accessible and non-judgmental. With the growing crises in housing, cost of living, and social isolation, the need for services like the Safe Haven Cafe has never been more urgent.
Closing this service directly impacts those who are already marginalised and struggling to access mental health care. The lack of affordable and accessible options—due to long wait times and high costs—leaves many people without support when they need it most. This closure would be a failure of St Vincent's commitment to its own values of compassion, justice, and person-centred care.
We cannot afford to lose this service. Stand with us to protect mental health services in our community!