Helping someone you care about get support
Watching someone you care about struggle, and not knowing how to help, is one of the hardest things to navigate. South Pacific Private works with concerned family members, partners, and friends every day.
Our programs address co-occurring presentations simultaneously, within a structured 24/7 clinical environment.
South Pacific Private is located minutes away from Curl Curl beach. We are the only private hospital on the Northern Beaches providing inpatient treatment for trauma, mental conditions and substance use. If your loved one needs support, our intake team can help you understand what’s available and what the process involves.
Why families choose South Pacific Private
For over 30 years, we have supported the Northern Beaches community and wider region.
Our inpatient program brings together psychiatric care, psychotherapy, trauma treatment, and clinical care for substance use within a single structure – because the evidence base strongly supports this approach for complex presentations. For families, this means the person you care about receives coordinated care from a multidisciplinary team, not a series of separate referrals.
Multidisciplinary clinical team
Psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors, and specialist nursing staff, experienced in mental health and substance use concerns, coordinated within a single program.
The Changes Program
South Pacific Private’s bespoke experiential psychotherapy program for developmental trauma. This program addresses adverse childhood experiences as an underlying driver of substance use and mental health presentations.
A Structured Pathway
Our 90-Day Recovery Pathway offers three phases of treatment: intensive inpatient treatment, the Transitions program, and continuing care, including day programs, workshops and alumni support.
NSQHS accreditation: South Pacific Private meets the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, the framework applied to all Australian hospitals. Accreditation reflects the quality of our clinical governance and safety systems.
Rainbow Tick accreditation: As a Rainbow Tick Accredited hospital, we are proud to provide a safe, inclusive and compassionate environment in which individuals can bring their whole selves to the recovery process. Inclusivity FAQs
The Family Program
A unique cornerstone of treatment at South Pacific Private, the Family Program brings together clients and their partners, parents, siblings, and close friends in a dedicated therapeutic program. It is offered following inpatient treatment, as recommended by the client’s multidisciplinary team.
Through psycho-educational sessions, structured exercises, and facilitated group discussions, clients and family members together explore relational dynamics, communication and conflict resolution skills, and issues that may not have been effectively addressed before. The program also provides space to work through the impact of substance use, trauma, or mental health conditions on the family system.
While the program is attended together, family members participate in their own right. It is not solely about supporting someone else’s recovery, it is an opportunity for their own. The Family Program is available onsite over four days or online over three days. Family members attending the online program are required to first complete the one-day Family Education Day.
Recognised by most major Australian health funds
South Pacific Private is a private, accredited psychiatric hospital, contracted with most major private health funds and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
Clients with private health insurance can claim for their treatment under the terms of their health fund agreement. Policy excess and wait periods may apply. Our Intake team can do a complimentary health fund check to confirm your eligibility.
If you are a veteran or hold a DVA card, our Intake team can help you understand your entitlements.
Important: Coverage depends on your individual policy and tier level. Not all policies cover psychiatric inpatient care – Bronze and Silver tier policies may have restricted or no cover. Our intake team can confirm your entitlements. Out-of-pocket costs are explained clearly before any commitment to treatment.
As an NSQHS-accredited private hospital, South Pacific Private brings a fully-fledged clinical team to provide comprehensive treatment for substance use conditions, behavioural conditions, trauma, anxiety, and depression
Our Family Program is offered onsite and online. It is an intensive and interactive program designed specifically to bring together and treat both the individuals who have struggled with substance use and mental health and who are now in recovery and their families, partners and loved ones.
The Family Education Day is an introductory one-day online program for family members, partners, friends, and carers supporting someone with a mental health condition or substance use concern. No prior knowledge is required – the program is open to anyone navigating this with someone they care about.
The Parents and Children's Program is a prevention and intervention program for children aged 6–13 years who have been impacted by substance use or untreated mental health conditions within their family system.
Watching someone close to you struggle with substance use, mental health, or trauma is difficult. Knowing what to do, or even where to start, can feel overwhelming.
Conversations with a loved one about mental health or substance use treatment can be challenging. Our clinical team share their experience on how to approach these conversations constructively, and how to avoid common pitfalls.
What to know before you call
It helps to understand the program before you reach out, so the conversation can focus on your loved one’s situation, not the basics.
Treatment is voluntary
South Pacific Private provides voluntary inpatient treatment. Your loved one will need to engage with the assessment process and consent to admission on their own accord.
Minimum three-week residential commitment
The inpatient program runs for a minimum of three weeks. Your loved one will reside on-site at Curl Curl for the duration of their stay.
Abstinence-based model
South Pacific Private operates on an abstinence-based model. This applies from admission and is a clinical requirement of the program.
The Family Program involves you
The Family Program is a four-day therapeutic program attended by clients and their family members together. It is offered following the inpatient program, following recommendation by their treating team.
Not sure where to start? That’s exactly what the intake conversation is for. Call us and we’ll help you understand what’s available and whether our programs may suit your loved one’s situation. There’s no obligation to proceed.
What happens when you reach out
As a family member or loved one, you are welcome to contact our intake team to gather information and understand what the process involves. However, treatment at South Pacific Private is entirely voluntary – your loved one will need to call, undertake an assessment, and admit for treatment on their own accord. You cannot organise admission on their behalf.
1. Contact The Intake Team
In a confidential, no-obligation conversation, our team can answer your questions, explain the admission process, and help you think through next steps.
2. Clinical Assessment
When your loved one is ready, they will need to contact our intake team directly. A free, confidential assessment will take place over the phone with a member of our team to determine whether our program is clinically suitable for their circumstances and history.
3. Admission
Following discussion with your loved one and our multidisciplinary team, a recommendation will be made including which program is best suited to their circumstances. An admission date will be provided and a referral from a GP or psychiatrist will be required.
4. Family Program
During inpatient treatment, their multidisciplinary team will make a recommendation about the Family Program and its timing. Once your loved one has agreed to participate, our Family Coordinator will contact you directly to discuss scheduling.
Our intake team is available to answer your questions.
Call
1800 063 332
now.
Contact South Pacific Private
Fill out the form below and a member of our intake team will be in touch. You can enquire on behalf of a loved one – select “Seeking information for a loved one” in the Type of Enquiry field.
Your information is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy. South Pacific Private collects health information to respond to your enquiry.
Frequently asked questions
About the process
Yes. You can contact our intake team on behalf of a family member, partner, or friend. Our team can provide information about programs, costs, and the assessment process. Your loved one will need to engage with the assessment process and consent to admission before treatment can proceed.
This is one of the most common concerns families bring to us. South Pacific Private provides voluntary treatment – we can’t admit someone who hasn’t consented. However, our intake team can talk you through how to approach the conversation, what to say, and what support is available for you in the meantime.
The intake conversation is the right starting point. Our team will ask about your loved one’s situation and help you understand whether our programs may be appropriate. There is no obligation to proceed after that conversation.
About the program
Family contact during the inpatient program is structured to support your loved one’s focus on treatment. Visits and phone calls are arranged in coordination with the clinical team. The Family Program provides a dedicated opportunity for family involvement in the treatment process.
The Family Program is a four-day therapeutic program for partners, parents, siblings, and close friends of people in treatment at South Pacific Private. It runs alongside the inpatient program and is designed to support the family system, not just the individual in treatment. It is also available online across three days.
The standard inpatient program is a minimum of three weeks. Duration is confirmed through clinical assessment and individual need.
South Pacific Private is contracted with most major private health funds and DVA. Coverage depends on your loved one’s individual policy and tier level. Our intake team can help confirm their entitlements before any commitment to treatment.
South Pacific Private is recognised by most major Australian private health funds. Funds currently accepted include: AAMI, APIA, ACA Health Benefits Fund, AIA Health Insurance, Australian Unity Health Limited, Bupa, CBHS, Cessnock District Health, Defence Health Ltd, Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), Doctors Health Fund, Emergency Services Health, Frank Health Insurance, GMHBA Limited, Grand United Corporate, HBF Health Limited, HCF, HCI, Health Cafe Insurance Ltd, Health Insurance Fund of Australia Limited, Health Partners, IMAN, Latrobe Health Services, Mildura District Services, My Own Health, Navy Health, NIB, Nurses & Midwives Health Pty Ltd, onemedifund, Peoplecare Health Insurance, Phoenix Health Fund, Police Health Limited, Qantas Health Insurance, Queensland Country Health Fund Pty Ltd, RACQ Insurance, Real Health, Reserve Bank Health Society Ltd, RT Health Fund, see-u by HBF, St Lukes Health, Senior Health, Suncorp Health Insurance, TAL Insurance, Teachers Health Fund, Teachers Union Health (TUH), Territory Health, Transport Health, UniHealth, United Health Global, Westfund.
Coverage depends on your individual policy. Gold Hospital cover typically includes psychiatric inpatient treatment. Check your policy documents or contact your fund to confirm. Waiting periods may apply. If you’re unsure whether you’re covered, call our intake team on 1800 063 332 and we’ll help you find out.
Following inpatient treatment, most clients transition into the two-week Transitions Program – a structured outpatient day program that supports reintegration into daily life. Ongoing outpatient programs and alumni support are also available.
About you
Yes. The Family Program is specifically designed for family members and loved ones. Beyond the program, our intake team can point you toward additional support resources. Caring for someone with a mental health condition or substance use issue is difficult, you don’t have to navigate it alone.
