Intersex Support Service ‘InterLink’ Has Received Three-Year Accreditation Status
Image: Photo: Twitter / Jan Logie.
InterLink, a community-controlled intersex psychosocial support service operated by InterAction for Health and Human Rights, has been officially accredited for the next three years.
The accreditation under the National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health Standards recognises InterLink’s commitment to providing safe, trauma-informed and community-led psychosocial support for people with innate variations of sex characteristics (IVSCs), as well as their parents and carers.
The service, which operates online and is free to access across Australia and New Zealand, offers individual counselling, peer navigation and group programs designed specifically for people with IVSCs.
All services are delivered by counsellors with population-specific training and peers with lived experience, ensuring culturally safe care. Anonymous registration is available by phone, and while not a crisis service, InterLink provides timely support tailored to the needs of its community.
InterLink ensures culturally safe care for intersex people
Bonnie Hart, Manager and designer of InterLink, said the achievement of accreditation reflects InterAction’s “ongoing commitment to providing safe, accessible, and trauma-informed psychosocial support.”
“Accreditation under the National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health Standards is a significant milestone in the work InterLink is doing to ensure that people with IVSCs and their families are able to access psychosocial support that is community-led, bridges gaps between services and genuinely understand their needs,” said Hart.
“The National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health Standards accreditation process and achievement reflects InterAction and InterLink’s commitment to our service users and community,” said InterAction’s Operations Coordinator, Mira Bouchmouny.
“This framework allows us to work towards continuous learning and improvement of our services in line with standards focused on partnering with service users to deliver safe, effective, and population-specific care. A huge achievement for our organisation with limited staff and resources, so incredibly proud and thankful to all involved.”
InterLink: closing gaps in mental health support for the intersex community
Dr Morgan Carpenter, Executive Director of InterAction for Health and Human Rights, said the accreditation highlights the importance of safe, high-quality mental health services designed for people with intersex variations.
“The establishment of InterLink addressed long-standing gaps in service delivery and unmet demand for mental health support by people with innate variations of sex characteristics and family members. These gaps were identified in a 2013 Senate committee report, a 2021 Australian Human Rights Commission report, and multiple State and Territory health strategies and inquiries,” said Carpenter.
“We sought accreditation in recognition that delivery of these services can and should be safe and high quality,” he continued. “The award of this accreditation is a powerful acknowledgement of the InterLink and operations teams’ excellence in service design and delivery. As small teams in a small organisation, I am immensely proud of their passion, commitment and delivery.”
You can access InterLink’s support services via ilink.net.au by phone on 07 3017 1724.
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