General News
2 September, 2026
Perinatal mental health service’s new home-based option
WOMEN in the Cairns region experiencing severe perinatal mental illness will soon be able to receive expert care from their own homes as part of an innovative new care model.
Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service is planning to launch the Perinatal Acute Mental Health Hospital in the Home program later this year.
In a Queensland first, the service will operate as a virtual inpatient bed admission model where patients receive hospital-level care but in their own home.
The service will be supported by a team including nurses, doctors, allied health staff, people with lived experience and First Nations officers.
CHHHS Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs Service Director Sebastiano Romano said previously women from the region experiencing severe and acute perinatal mental illness had to travel to southeast Queensland to receive care.
“This new model will allow women to access the perinatal mental health support in their home environment, surrounded by family and other support networks, rather than needing to relocate for treatment,” he said.
“This has been shown to support better health outcomes.
“Being able to be cared for at home will prevent separation from other children and family supports, cultural disconnection from community networks, and financial hardship related to travel and accommodation.”
CHHHS Chief Executive Leena Singh said the new service would be integrated with health service’s existing perinatal infant mental health service to ensure a seamless transition for patients transitioning between in-patient and home care.
“We are proud to be the first health service in Queensland to launch this home-based model of care which will deliver a vital service for local women and their families,” she said.
“The model draws on strong international evidence showing that hospital-at-home and crisis resolution home treatment models provide safe, effective alternatives to inpatient admission.
“We have worked alongside families with lived experience, health professionals and other key stakeholders to ensure we deliver a safe and fit-for-purpose service to support local people.”
