Resources for the community
This is a challenging time for many in the community. Whatever your situation, there are resources available to support you during this difficult time. Local providers have changed the way they deliver services for the safety of Casey residents. Many services are now online or provided through telephone hotlines.
The information below is current and accurate but may change without notice. Please call service providers to confirm what’s available to you.
Coronavirus testing sites
- Casey Fields – located in the overflow car park, opposite the athletics field
Mon to Sun - 9am - 4pm.
There will be traffic control and security onsite. Drivers will be turned away if the site is at capacity to prevent people waiting. - Pakenham – Monash Health - IYU Recreation Reserve, Pakenham
IYU Recreation Reserve, 165 Henry Rd
Mon to Sun - 9am - 4pm - Hospital Respiratory Clinic: 7 Gibb St (former St John of God Hospital), Berwick 3806
Mon to Sun - 9:30am to 4pm - Pathology Collection Centre (referral from GP required) 4Cyte Pathology - Beaconsfield Rear Car Park, 20 Woods Street, Beaconsfield 3807
Mon to Fri - 8am to 5pm
Sat to Sun - 11am to 2pm
For information visit the Department of Health and Human Services website.
Type of services available
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1. Community information and support services |
9. Sexual, reproductive, maternal and child health 11. Refugees and persons seeking asylum support |
1. Community information and support services
These organisations provide a range of support for Casey residents, including:
- emergency relief
- information
- financial help
- counselling support
- referrals
- financial counselling
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Cranbourne Community Information and Support |
Phone: (03) 5996 3333 |
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Casey North Community Information and Support Service |
Phone: (03) 9705 6699 |
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The Andrews Centre (Endeavour Ministries) |
Phone: (03) 9700 4944 Services only available for people in Doveton and Endeavour Hills. |
2. Emergency food relief
Emergency Care Packages are available for Victorians in mandatory self-isolation who have little or no food and no network of family and friends to support them.
To access an Emergency Care Package, please call the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) COVID-19 Hotline on 1800 675 398.
There are also emergency relief services delivered by community organisations. These services help people with immediate basic needs in times of crisis including:
- food hampers
- takeaway meals
- home deliveries
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Adra Café |
Phone: 0425 747 866 |
| Berwick Church of Christ Food Pantry | Phone: 9702 1011 Address: 446 Centre Rd Berwick Operating Hours: Tuesdays 10.30am to 2pm – food, groceries, toiletries Bookings not required |
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Bk 2 Basics |
Phone: 0435 765 682 |
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Doveton Neighbourhood and Learning Centre |
Phone: 9791 1449 |
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Gethsemane Church Charity |
Phone: 0404 875 647 |
| Cranbourne Information and Support Services | Phone: 5996 3333 Address: 156 Sladen Street Cranbourne Food vouchers by request |
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Manna 4 life |
Phone: 0412 111 461 |
| Endeavour Ministries – St Andrews Centre | Phone: 9700 4944 Address: 1/2 Hanna Drive, Endeavour Hills Operating hours: Monday to Friday 10.00 am - 2.00 pm |
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Transit Soup Kitchen |
Phone: 0438 398 594 |
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Salvos Cranbourne |
Phone: (03) 5995 0133 |
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Theodora’s Cheerful Givers |
Phone: 0413 807 763 |
| Shepherd’s Table – Our Lady Help of Christians Church | Phone: 0488 227 535 Address: 495 Princess Highway Narre Warren Operating hours: First and third Saturday 11.30 am - 2.00 pm |
| We Care Community Services | Phone: 8791 5255 Address: 2-8 North Rd Lynbrook Operating hours: Friday, 10.30 am - 2.00 pm Faith community website |
| AFM Viccare | Email: afmviccare@gmail.com Address: 49 Valepark Cres Cranbourne Operating hours: Thursday, 12.00 pm - 2.00 pm |
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Hampton Park Uniting Church |
Phone: 9799 7994 |
| TurningPoint Support Centre – Cranbourne |
Phone: (03) 5996 3048 |
| TurningPoint Food Support - Hallam | Phone: (03) 5996 3048 Email: church@turningpoint.asn.au Address: Pixel Play Centre, Shop 2/ 151 Princes Highway, Hallam Operating Hours: Friday, 1pm-3pm (food parcels) Chaplains available onsite. TurningPoint Support Centre website |
3. Housing and homelessness
People may experience homelessness or risk being homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic. Housing service providers deliver support, including crisis accommodation and affordable housing.
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WAYSS Housing Support |
Phone: (03) 9791 6111 WAYSS website Services include:
The Berwick office is currently closed. Please phone the Dandenong office for an intake assessment. |
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Mission Australia Housing |
Phone: 1800 269 672 Provides support for people at risk of homelessness. |
4. Rent relief grants
Rent relief grants are available for Victorians experiencing rental hardship as a result of COVID-19.
Private rental tenants can apply for a one-off rent relief payment of up to $2000 under the Victorian Government's rental assistance fund.
5. Family violence support
There may be an increased risk of family violence, as more people stay at home to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Services continue to help women and children in family violence situations, including crisis accommodation.
In an emergency
Call 000 if in immediate danger.
Further support includes:
- a crisis hotline
- access to accommodation services
- information and support services
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WAYSS Women’s Integrated Services |
Phone: (03) 9767 6111 In addition to hotline, accommodation and support, services include:
Currently offering a phone-based service. |
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Safe Steps: Family Violence Response Centre (24 hours) |
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1800 RESPECT (24 hours) |
Phone: 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) |
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InTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence Service |
Phone: 1800 755 988 Supports women and children from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds who are experiencing or have experienced family violence. |
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Djirra: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Service |
Phone: 1800 105 303 Provides legal and non-legal support to Aboriginal people who are experiencing or have experienced family violence |
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With Respect: LGBTIQ+ Service |
Phone: 1800 542 847 Supports LGBTIQ+ communities and their families who are experiencing or have experienced family violence or intimate partner violence.
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6. Financial and legal support
You may experience significant changes to your financial and employment status as a result of COVID-19.
The Australian Government is providing financial help, including:
- income support payments
- payments to support households
- temporary early release of superannuation
Visit the Treasury website for more information.
Local legal services include:
- free and confidential legal advice for those in need
- understanding your rights regarding:
- employment
- housing tenancy
- parenting and contact arrangements
- disputes over refunds for cancelled events or travel plans
- racism because of perceptions about where the virus came from
- other legal matters due to the coronavirus outbreak
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Peninsula Community Legal Service |
Phone: (03) 9783 3600 |
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Springvale Monash Community Legal Service |
Phone: (03) 9038 8002 |
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Victoria Legal Aid |
Phone: 1300 792 387 |
Services Australia
Service Australia provides information and services to help if you’re affected by COVID-19. You can also register to claim a Centrelink payment.
7. Alcohol and drug support services
You may experience issues with alcohol and drug use under the complexity of the coronavirus outbreak. Please seek support from the alcohol and drug support services.
To find more about relevant services and information on Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD), you can visit the below directories developed by The Alcohol and Drug Foundation.
- Drug Information Directory (DID): A search directory for research and information on AOD. The directory includes a collection of websites formally reviewed and rated out of 5 stars by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation. Search the directory to find our ratings, reviews and summaries of websites related to drugs and alcohol, mental health and health promotion.
- Help and Support (H&S): A directory providing a list of AOD support services available. Users can filter by service type and location.
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SECADA Drug and Alcohol Recovery Support |
Phone: 1800 142 536 SECADA is a group of several alcohol and drug agencies across the City of Greater Dandenong, City of Casey and Cardinia Shire. SECADA partner agencies are:
SECADA offers a variety of services:
SECADA has a centralised intake system. Please phone SECADA for an intake assessment to access services. |
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Narcotics Anonymous Australia (24 hours) |
Phone: 1300 652 820 Narcotics Anonymous brings people together in a supportive group to discuss issues around drug abuse. There are some changes to how regular meetings are run. Please phone the organisation for more information. |
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Alcoholics Anonymous |
Phone: 1300 222 222 Alcoholics Anonymous provides a phone service and connection for alcoholics and problem drinkers. AA holds regular self-help groups for those who want to overcome their issues with alcohol. Meetings are now held via Zoom. |
8. Mental health support
It is important to seek help if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Speaking with friends or family can help as they can appreciate how you’re feeling.
There are also several mental health services you can access online or over the phone. You can connect directly with a health professional such as your GP, a psychologist, or other mental health professional.
The Australian Red Cross has launched a free hotline to provide support and community connection to people who are feeling socially isolated as a result of COVID-19.
Register online to receive a phone call, or call the 'COVID CONNECT' hotline on 1800 733 276.
In an emergency
Please call ‘000’ if you or someone you know is in danger and need an immediate response.
If you need immediate help but it’s not an emergency, you can call the following helplines. These helplines offer free, 24/7 phone-based crisis support and counselling:
- Lifeline – provides free crisis support, call 13 11 14 or visit the Lifeline website
- Suicide Call Back Service – call 1300 659 467 or visit the Suicide Call Back website
Online and phone-based services
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ERMHA365 |
Phone: 1300 376 421 ERMHA365 provides services for people facing challenges from disability, mental illness, trauma or substance abuse. |
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Beyond Blue (24 hours) |
Phone: 1300 224 636 People who are hearing impaired can contact Beyond Blue by phone using the National Relay Service. For non-English speakers, call TIS 131 450, then call 1300 224 636. This service listens, provides information and advice and refers people to further services. Beyond Blue also hosts some interactive group support forums. |
| HeartChat | The HeartChat website is a portal to find culturally appropriate mental health practitioners to connect with in Victoria. |
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MindSpot – Coronavirus (COVID-19) |
Phone: 1800 614 434 MindSpot is a free digital mental health service – the first of its kind in Australia. The service provides assessment and treatment for symptoms of anxiety and depression. It’s available by phone or online. Contact this service for:
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Kidsline (24 hours) |
Phone: 1800 551 800 Provides free, private and confidential phone and online counselling for young people aged 5 to 25. |
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MensLine (24 hours) |
Phone: 1300 789 978 Provides a telephone and online counselling service for men with emotional health and relational concerns. |
General mental health services
General Practitioners (GP)
If you have concerns about your mental health, a good place to start is to speak with your GP. GPs can provide initial assessment and treatment for common problems, such as depression and anxiety. They can also refer you to other mental health practitioners, such as psychiatrists and psychologists.
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Telehealth Mental Health Services |
Phone: 1300 886 007 Medicare made some telehealth mental health services bulk-billable from 13 March 2020 to 30 September 2020. Eligible people can access services through videoconferencing or telephone instead of attending a face-to-face session. You should check with your GP to see if you will be eligible to access these new telehealth services. You will need to set up a telehealth login to access. More information on bulk-billed telehealth services can be found on the Health website. |
9. Sexual, reproductive, maternal and child health
Women already face significant barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health services. This includes for contraception, termination, as well as pre and postnatal care. COVID-19 has created extra layers of complexity to this.
Sexual and reproductive health services are essential and are still available to support women during COVID-19.
In an emergency
Call '000' if in immediate danger.
Contraception, pregnancy options and sexual health services
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1800 My Options |
Phone: 1800 696 784 Services include:
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Family Planning Victoria |
Phone: 1800 013 952 Information, support and advice:
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Pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding information
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City of Casey Maternal and Child Health |
Phone: 9705 5590 Services include:
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Maternal and Child Health (24 hours) |
Phone: 13 22 29 Services include:
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Australian Breastfeeding Association |
Phone: 1800 686 268 Breastfeeding counselling service. |
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Harmony Alliance |
Pregnancy and COVID-19 fact sheets Available in English, Arabic, Dari, Chinese, Vietnamese, Nepalese, Punjabi, Hazaragi, Thai, Karen, Korean. |
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Royal Women’s Hospital |
Advice for pregnant women on COVID-19 Information on pregnancy, feeding your baby and reducing your risk. |
Emergency and crisis support
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1800 Respect |
Phone: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Services include:
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Sexual Assault Crisis Line (SACL)
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Phone: 1800 806 292 Services:
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Support for children
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Kids Helpline |
Phone: 1800 55 1800 Services include:
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Headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation |
Phone: 1800 650 890 or chat online (individual or group chat on set topics) Services include:
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Parent Line |
Phone: 13 22 89 Services include:
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Parenting support and talking to your child about COVID-19 |
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for healthy parenting Helping children cope with stress during the 2019-nCOV outbreak How to talk to your child about coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) My Hero is You, Storybook for Children on COVID-19 Available in 14 languages. |
10. Translated resources
The DHHS has translated information on coronavirus. Translations are available for people from different cultures or who speak English as a second language.
If you’re concerned about coronavirus, please check symptoms via the DHHS. If you need an interpreter first call 131 450, then request the hotline on 1800 675 398 (24 hours).
For translations on coronavirus, visit the DHHS website.
Translations are available in the following languages:
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Information relating to health and well-being during the coronavirus pandemic is also available in many languages. These translated health resources are produced by the Centre of Culture, Ethnicity and Health, which is funded by the DHHS.
For more information, please visit the Health Translations website.
My AUS COVID19 App
The Migration Council of Australia has developed the 'My AUS COVID19' App, which is a comprehensive multilingual COVID19 resource for multicultural communities.
The app is available in Cantonese, Khmer, Tagalog, English, Korean, Tamil, French, Mandarin, Thai, Greek, Punjabi, Turkish, Indonesian, Russian, Vietnamese, Italian, Somali, Japanese, Spanish. It is soon to be available in Arabic, Dari, Persian, Burmese, Karen and Urdu.
You can download the app through the Apple app store or Google Play, or visit the website for more information.
SBS multilingual coronavirus news
SBS provides current news and information about coronavirus in 63 languages. For more information, visit their website.
11. Refugees and persons seeking asylum support
Refugees and people seeking asylum can face extra barriers to accessing services. There are specialist services for these vulnerable people living in Casey.
Please view translated resources for information around coronavirus in languages other than English.
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Australian Red Cross Dandenong |
Phone: (03) 8327 7370 Services include:
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Friends of Refugees |
Phone: (03) 9574 6291 Services include:
Please call the office to arrange the service. |
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Catholic Care Refugee and Asylum seeker Support |
Phone: (03) 9287 5555 Services include:
This service is delivered via phone and video conferencing. |
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Southern Migrant and Refugee Centre |
Phone: (03) 9767 1900 Services include:
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12. Aged, disability and carer support
You may experience hardship due to the strict self-isolation measures and the extra demands of being a carer for your family. There are resources available for emergency respite.
For people 65 years or over (50 for aboriginal and Torres strait islanders)
- Visit the My Aged Care (MAC) website to enquire about extra support and services they might need during this time.
- More information about MAC, including contact details, can be found under Aged and Disability Care.
For people under 65 years (or 50 years for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders) who are not NDIS eligible
- contact Council's Community Care program to access support and services on 9705 5444
- find more information on Aged and Disability Care
Free COVID-19 support line for senior Australians
This support line is for senior Australians, their families and carers. They can now call a dedicated free support line aimed at supporting the mental health of those affected by the spread of COVID-19.
This initiative is in partnership with:
- the Council on Ageing Australia (COTA)
- National Seniors Australia
- the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN)
- Dementia Australia
The phone line will be staffed with advisers who can offer practical help and advice.
The support line will operate Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 6 pm, except public holidays.
Please call the COVID-19 support line on 1800 171 866.
Resources to help seniors cope with coronavirus
Beyond Blue
Beyond Blue provides support to people to look after their mental health and well-being. Beyond Blue has developed a guide to help senior Australian's cope with coronavirus.
Safe exercise at home for seniors
Physiotherapists across Australia have developed exercises for senior Australians to do at home. The exercises have been created with clinical and academic expertise in collaboration with the National Ageing Research Institute as well as many Australian universities and hospitals.
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Alfred Health Carer emergency respite |
Phone: 1800 052 222 Provides emergency respite, information and resources, to assist carers in their role when in crisis. |
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Carer Gateway |
Phone: 1800 422 737 (advice line) Provides information on emergency respite, phone counselling and support for carers' payments. |
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Carers Victoria |
Phone: 1800 514 845 Carers Victoria maintains essential services for carers, including:
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National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) |
Phone: 1800 800 110 If you are an NDIS participant and you need extra support, contact the NDIS to request a plan review. If necessary, you could also contact the support coordinator or the providers who usually deliver services to you. |
13. Businesses in Casey
Businesses can find support or financial assistance available during the COVID-19 pandemic by using the Victorian Government's new finder tool.
The City of Casey has set up the Casey Business Helpline to provide individual and tailored support for local businesses during the pandemic.
The helpline provides businesses with information on relief packages available from both Federal and State Governments.
To contact the Casey Business Helpline, please call 9705 5200 and ask for one of our Economic Development officers.