Western Cape strengthens adolescent mental health services with new specialised unit

The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness has officially opened a new adolescent mental health wing for girls at Lentegeur Hospital, a R10.7 million investment that strengthens specialised mental healthcare services for young people across the province.

The new eight-bed unit provides a dedicated inpatient environment for adolescent girls aged 13 to 18 years and forms part of the Department's broader commitment to expanding mental health services and ensuring that young people receive care in spaces designed around their unique needs. Patients are referred to the Lentegeur Child and Adolescent Female Unit through our hospitals across the province when they present with conditions requiring psychiatric care and are admitted and certified under the Mental Health Care Act where appropriate.

Speaking at the opening, Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness Mireille Wenger said the facility represents far more than a new building.

"This unit represents our recognition that mental health is an essential part of health, that the wellbeing of children and adolescents deserves dedicated attention, and that when young people require specialised care, that care must be provided in an environment designed around their needs. This new unit provides a safe, supportive environment where adolescent girls can receive specialised care during some of the most difficult periods of their lives."

The need for the dedicated wing was first identified in 2021, with construction and renovations commencing in 2024. The first patients were welcomed into the facility in March 2026.

The adolescent mental health service at Lentegeur Hospital has served young people from across the Western Cape since 1987 and remains one of the province's key specialised services for children and adolescents requiring inpatient mental healthcare.

The new wing was developed in response to changing service demands and the growing need for dedicated spaces for adolescent boys and girls receiving acute mental healthcare. Previously, young people were accommodated within the same ward in separate sections. The new arrangement allows for more appropriate, age- and gender-sensitive care environments that support recovery, safety and therapeutic treatment.

The opening comes as the Department continues to expand mental health services across the province, with approximately 100 additional mental health beds coming online over the next year. 

"This project has been several years in the making and reflects the commitment of many people who recognised the need to strengthen adolescent mental healthcare. It is incredibly rewarding to see young people already benefiting from the facility and to know that this investment will continue to support adolescents and their families from across the Western Cape for many years to come."

The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness thanked the healthcare professionals, support staff and project teams who contributed to the development of the new wing and who continue to provide care to young people and their families every day.