\u201cIt would not have been delivered until 2027 \u2013 almost eight years after it was promised,\u201d Nicholls said.<\/p>\n
But Labor MP Mark Bailey, the opposition health spokesman whose seat covers Yeronga, described the move as \u201csecretive and suss\u201d, and said he had not been informed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s clear here is that Premier Crisafulli has broken two promises by cutting this service,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said he\u2019d bring projects in on time and on budget, which he\u2019s clearly broken if there\u2019s such an increase in cost, and secondly he said he wouldn\u2019t cut health services.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to have an empty, vacant for god knows how long with this site at Yeronga, because they\u2019ve cut this rebuild which is desperately needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bailey said families coping with complex issues would now have to travel further to access the critical services.<\/p>\n
The Child and Youth Mental Health Service helps children up to the age of 18 and their families with complex mental health needs.<\/p>\n
Many clients are struggling with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, school refusal, psychosis, suicidal or self-harming behaviours, or trauma.<\/p>\n
Nicholls said the state government\u2019s new plan would deliver more patient rooms for the Child and Youth Mental Health and eating disorder services \u201cfrom two convenient locations, in Upper Mount Gravatt and Taringa, bringing care closer to home\u201d.<\/p>\n
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Those leasing options were proposed as a temporary measure during construction in May 2024, and had been deemed suitable for ongoing use.<\/p>\n
The plan will cost $4.4 million for \u201cdecanting\u201d (temporarily moving people and equipment out for construction), fit-out and leasing.<\/p>\n
The first-year leasing cost will be about $600,000.<\/p>\n
The Yeronga hub plan would have featured 17 patient rooms, whereas the new plan includes 20 patient rooms \u2013 16 in Upper Mount Gravatt and four in Taringa.<\/p>\n
The LNP has a history of controversial changes to youth mental health services.<\/p>\n
The former Newman LNP government closed the residential Barrett Adolescent Centre<\/a> at Wacol in January 2014, and within eight months, three high-risk teenagers died.<\/p>\n