❓ Hon Robyn McSweeney questions the closure of the Family Early Intervention Program, a mental health service for children under five, and the withdrawal of its funding. Hon Sue Ellery responds, citing a decline in service usage and a decision to integrate the services into existing clinical streams for cost savings.
AnsweredQoN 1295Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
The family early intervention program - the only mental health program for children under five - is being closed by this Government. Will the minister name the programs that were being used; how many staff were employed; how many children were attending these programs; and why the funding of $450 000 has been withdrawn? Hon SUE ELLERY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The services provided through this program were consultation and liaison; secondary consultation and liaison; family and parents intervention therapy; individual therapy; sibling therapy; and psycho-educational work. Eight staff were employed in 6.8 full-time equivalent positions and 35 to 40 families were seen a week. Following a review of the service, which has declined from a peak of 4 570 in 1997 to 1 907 in 2002-03, it was considered that these clinical services could be more effectively provided by existing clinical service streams in the psychological medicine directorate. As a result of relocating the program into existing clinical service streams, cost savings will be redirected into core health services.
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The services provided through this program were consultation and liaison; secondary consultation and liaison; family and parents intervention therapy; individual therapy; sibling therapy; and psycho-educational work. Eight staff were employed in 6.8 full-time equivalent positions and 35 to 40 families were seen a week. Following a review of the service, which has declined from a peak of 4 570 in 1997 to 1 907 in 2002-03, it was considered that these clinical services could be more effectively provided by existing clinical service streams in the psychological medicine directorate. As a result of relocating the program into existing clinical service streams, cost savings will be redirected into core health services.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The services provided through this program were consultation and liaison; secondary consultation and liaison; family and parents intervention therapy; individual therapy; sibling therapy; and psycho-educational work. Eight staff were employed in 6.8 full-time equivalent positions and 35 to 40 families were seen a week. Following a review of the service, which has declined from a peak of 4 570 in 1997 to 1 907 in 2002-03, it was considered that these clinical services could be more effectively provided by existing clinical service streams in the psychological medicine directorate. As a result of relocating the program into existing clinical service streams, cost savings will be redirected into core health services.
The services provided through this program were consultation and liaison; secondary consultation and liaison; family and parents intervention therapy; individual therapy; sibling therapy; and psycho-educational work. Eight staff were employed in 6.8 full-time equivalent positions and 35 to 40 families were seen a week. Following a review of the service, which has declined from a peak of 4 570 in 1997 to 1 907 in 2002-03, it was considered that these clinical services could be more effectively provided by existing clinical service streams in the psychological medicine directorate. As a result of relocating the program into existing clinical service streams, cost savings will be redirected into core health services.
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The services provided through this program were consultation and liaison; secondary consultation and liaison; family and parents intervention therapy; individual therapy; sibling therapy; and psycho-educational work. Eight staff were employed in 6.8 full-time equivalent positions and 35 to 40 families were seen a week. Following a review of the service, which has declined from a peak of 4 570 in 1997 to 1 907 in 2002-03, it was considered that these clinical services could be more effectively provided by existing clinical service streams in the psychological medicine directorate. As a result of relocating the program into existing clinical service streams, cost savings will be redirected into core health services.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The services provided through this program were consultation and liaison; secondary consultation and liaison; family and parents intervention therapy; individual therapy; sibling therapy; and psycho-educational work. Eight staff were employed in 6.8 full-time equivalent positions and 35 to 40 families were seen a week. Following a review of the service, which has declined from a peak of 4 570 in 1997 to 1 907 in 2002-03, it was considered that these clinical services could be more effectively provided by existing clinical service streams in the psychological medicine directorate. As a result of relocating the program into existing clinical service streams, cost savings will be redirected into core health services.
The services provided through this program were consultation and liaison; secondary consultation and liaison; family and parents intervention therapy; individual therapy; sibling therapy; and psycho-educational work. Eight staff were employed in 6.8 full-time equivalent positions and 35 to 40 families were seen a week. Following a review of the service, which has declined from a peak of 4 570 in 1997 to 1 907 in 2002-03, it was considered that these clinical services could be more effectively provided by existing clinical service streams in the psychological medicine directorate. As a result of relocating the program into existing clinical service streams, cost savings will be redirected into core health services.
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