❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Minister for Mental Health regarding access to mental health support for at-risk children, citing specific cases. The Minister defends the clinical decisions made by Perth Children's Hospital and highlights the role of the NDIS.
AnsweredQoN 914Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MENTAL HEALTH — AT-RISK CHILDREN
914. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Mental Health:
I
refer to the increasingly frantic lengths that parents are being forced to
undertake to get appropriate mental health support for their at-risk
children. Does the minister believe it is acceptable for a mother to have to
email Perth Children's Hospital vision of her son's attempt to
end his own life to receive assistance, or for another family with a 10-year-old
son to be turned away from hospital five times, despite him attempting suicide
several times and being a danger to his family?
914. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Mental Health:
I
refer to the increasingly frantic lengths that parents are being forced to
undertake to get appropriate mental health support for their at-risk
children. Does the minister believe it is acceptable for a mother to have to
email Perth Children's Hospital vision of her son's attempt to
end his own life to receive assistance, or for another family with a 10-year-old
son to be turned away from hospital five times, despite him attempting suicide
several times and being a danger to his family?
AnswerView source ↗
I would remind the Leader of the
Liberal Party that she is not an expert in mental health diagnoses or
intellectual disabilities or behavioural disorders. Neither am I. That is why
it is not appropriate for us to second-guess clinical decisions. The Leader of
the Liberal Party raised a particular circumstance. The family is well known to
Perth Children's Hospital; their son has been seen and assessed
multiple times, and the hospital has determined that it cannot provide him with
the most appropriate care and that the National Disability Insurance Scheme is
the framework under which he can be better supported.
I think the member needs to be very
cautious about second-guessing clinical decisions. I have enormous sympathy for
the family and many other families who have highly complex children with
behavioural issues, and we are seeing more and more of them. It is the role of
the National Disability Insurance Scheme to support those children and their
families. It is appropriate that they are seen by the appropriate consultants
and that they are assessed, and that has happened every single time that has been
presented.
We have significantly expanded mental health supports under
this government and we continue to significantly expand mental health supports
for children and adolescents, understanding the increasing complexity of the
cohort. I understand that parents are desperate and feel like it is a last
resort. I understand that, but many considerations are made when making a recommendation
to admit a child into an inpatient mental health unit. I am not there on the
ground and I am not an expert, and I will not be second-guessing those
considerations.
My understanding is that the family
was provided with an appointment with a paediatrician I think today or
yesterday. The Child and Adolescent Health Service has been reaching out to
that family to provide support and to help engage other external providers to
put some supports around that particular family.
Certainly,
mental health is different from behavioural issues. They are different. We are
putting significant resources into supporting youth with mental health
issues, and the NDIS has been significantly expanded to support children and
their families with behavioural and intellectual issues.
Liberal Party that she is not an expert in mental health diagnoses or
intellectual disabilities or behavioural disorders. Neither am I. That is why
it is not appropriate for us to second-guess clinical decisions. The Leader of
the Liberal Party raised a particular circumstance. The family is well known to
Perth Children's Hospital; their son has been seen and assessed
multiple times, and the hospital has determined that it cannot provide him with
the most appropriate care and that the National Disability Insurance Scheme is
the framework under which he can be better supported.
I think the member needs to be very
cautious about second-guessing clinical decisions. I have enormous sympathy for
the family and many other families who have highly complex children with
behavioural issues, and we are seeing more and more of them. It is the role of
the National Disability Insurance Scheme to support those children and their
families. It is appropriate that they are seen by the appropriate consultants
and that they are assessed, and that has happened every single time that has been
presented.
We have significantly expanded mental health supports under
this government and we continue to significantly expand mental health supports
for children and adolescents, understanding the increasing complexity of the
cohort. I understand that parents are desperate and feel like it is a last
resort. I understand that, but many considerations are made when making a recommendation
to admit a child into an inpatient mental health unit. I am not there on the
ground and I am not an expert, and I will not be second-guessing those
considerations.
My understanding is that the family
was provided with an appointment with a paediatrician I think today or
yesterday. The Child and Adolescent Health Service has been reaching out to
that family to provide support and to help engage other external providers to
put some supports around that particular family.
Certainly,
mental health is different from behavioural issues. They are different. We are
putting significant resources into supporting youth with mental health
issues, and the NDIS has been significantly expanded to support children and
their families with behavioural and intellectual issues.
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