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New ACT Residential Treatment Centre for eating disorders
Canberra is an important step closer to having its own Residential Treatment Centre for eating disorders at Coombs. The centre will offer a home-like environment for people with eating disorders to live while they receive the support they need to recover.
The establishment of the centre is supported by a Commonwealth Government commitment of $13.5M over three years. The first funding instalment for this was provided to the ACT in the 2021/22 financial year.
Pictured above: Exterior concept for the residential treatment centre which will have a neutral natural palate of materials connecting with nature and a homely feel.
About the centre
The centre will be built at Madgwick St in Coombs (Block 3, Section 17) and will offer a therapeutic service that includes specialist, intensive nutritional, and psychological treatment in a residential setting.
The 24/7 specialist residential centre is a new service for the ACT which, once operational, will complement other eating disorder services in the territory such as the recently launched Eating Disorders Clinical Hub.
The centre will be built on the eastern part of the block; the location was chosen to be close to nature reserves with an outlook over green space and a pond, but also within a residential setting. This will make sure the centre offers an environment for clients that is as calming and as home-like as possible. From 8 February to 23 March 2023, the Suburban Land Agency is consulting with the community regarding the remainder of Block 3, Section 17, Coombs before it is released for sale to market. See the YourSay page for more information.
Project progress
Collard Clarke Jackson Canberra Pty Ltd (CCJ) was appointed to deliver the early concept design in February 2022. You can find the proof of concept and indicative look-and-feel imagery for the centre below:
A Development Application for the centre was lodged on 7 December 2022 and closed on 24 January 2023.
An approach to market to procure a head contractor to develop a final sketch plan and to design and construct the centre, closed on 20 December 2022.
A contract was awarded to IQon Pty Ltd as the successful tenderer in February 2023.
Next steps
ACT Health will work closely with IQon to develop the final sketch plan of the centre, and continue engagement with a range of stakeholders on the design including clinicians, non-government organisations, people with lived experience of eating disorders and the wider Canberra community.
Construction is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2023 and will take around a year to complete.
If you, or anyone you know, is experiencing an eating disorder or body image concerns, contact the Butterfly Foundation National Helpline on 1800 33 4673 (ED HOPE) or visit butterfly.org.au
Visit the Eating Disorders Clinical Hub for more information about public eating disorder services currently available in the ACT.
