Project overview

James Cubitt Architects were engaged to undertake the briefing and schematic design of two (2) new day program facilities for the educational and mental support and rehabilitation of young people with severe and complex mental health issues. The project was delivered in partnership with an educational/vocational service from the Department of Education (DoE) as a Day Program between Education Queensland and Queensland Health, a new initiative supported by the federal government.

The two new day programs located in Caboolture and the Logan provide an alternative to hospital care for young people (13–18-year-old’s) with severe and complex mental health issues while also supporting their families and/or carers. Day programs work closely with the Department of Education to provide an integrated education and mental health treatment service. Young people will attend the program up to 5 days per week and remain living at home and engaged in their local community whilst being supported to reintegrate back to community-based education and treatment.

JCA undertook extensive consultations with many stakeholder, clinician groups and end users (including children and their carers) over several months to develop a project brief that captured the complexities of the day to day circumstances that the facilities needed to operate safely and efficiently whilst providing a calming, supportive and safe space for all who attend the centre.

The 800m2 Logan facility is housed within an existing building and provides consultation and medical spaces, and the Robina facility accommodates over 800m2 of an existing building located on the Robina Hospital site, each facility incorporates flexible teaching spaces including music therapy rooms and large open student spaces. Consultation and therapy rooms are also provided for individual and group therapy sessions. Each space has been designed to provide a safe and nurturing environment to assist Day Program staff members to work collaboratively with young people and their families, carers and other support networks.