Medicare Mental Health Centre Onkaparinga Tender Opportunity
Adelaide PHN will soon invite applications from suitably qualified organisations to establish and operate the Medicare Mental Health Centre – Onkaparinga, delivering free mental health, social and emotional wellbeing support across southern metropolitan Adelaide. Onkaparinga was announced in July by Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Emma McBride as one of three new Medicare Mental Health Centre locations in South Australia.
About the opportunity
The Medicare Mental Health Centre will provide a free, welcoming walk-in service for people experiencing mental health concerns, stress, distress or emotional challenges. No referral or appointment will be required. Services will include assessment, brief intervention, peer support, care navigation and referrals.
The successful provider will establish and operate a multidisciplinary, community-based service with strong capability in workforce development, clinical governance, lived experience, cultural safety, reporting and partnership building. This opportunity is for organisations with experience in delivering community mental health, Medicare Mental Health Centres, multidisciplinary walk-in services, psychosocial support and service integration. This may include South Australian organisations, existing Adelaide PHN providers, and interstate or national operators able to establish a local presence.
Why Onkaparinga
The outer southern metropolitan region needs a visible, accessible service where people can receive timely mental health support and connect with ongoing care.
Service requirements
In line with the National Service Model, Medicare Mental Health Centre will provide:
- Free mental health, social and emotional wellbeing support
- Walk-in access with no referral required
- A safe, welcoming and accessible environment
- Brief interventions, peer support, care navigation and referrals
- Support for families and carers
- Connections to ongoing mental health, community and social services
- A multidisciplinary workforce with clinical, psychosocial and lived experience expertise
- Culturally safe and inclusive services
- Strong local partnerships and referral pathways
The Centre will also need to:
- Respond to people experiencing crisis or significant distress.
- Act as a central access point for information, navigation and referrals.
- Use the Intake, Assessment and Referral (IAR) tool.
- Deliver evidence-based care, including access to digital mental health services.
- Integrate with the national Medicare Mental Health Phone Service.
- Meet national branding requirements.
Establishment requirements
Funding will support premises, fit-out and service establishment. The future provider will need to secure a suitable site, recruit and train staff, establish governance and referral pathways, engage stakeholders, and build partnerships through co-design with local health, community services and people with lived and living experience of mental health challenges.
Prepare for the upcoming Tender:
Adelaide PHN encourages interested organisations to register with TenderLink to receive updates and notifications about the upcoming Medicare Mental Health Centre – Onkaparinga tender opportunity.
Tender documentation will be released via TenderLink and will include the full scope, requirements, evaluation criteria and key dates. Registered organisations will be able to access the documentation when it becomes available and submit a response once the tender process commences.
For any assistance with registering please contact TenderLink on Ph: 1800 233 533.
How to use TenderLink – information video
Probity and fairness
Adelaide PHN is committed to a fair, ethical and transparent procurement process. All respondents will have equal access to information and be treated consistently throughout the tender process.
03 August 2026