❓ Question addresses child and adolescent mental health services, focusing on funding, training for NGOs, evidence-based practices, support for community agencies, and staffing ratios in the East Metropolitan Region. The answer outlines funding allocations, training initiatives, monitoring processes, and staffing figures.
AnsweredQoN 869Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CHILD AND
ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
869. Hon LINDA
SAVAGE to the Minister for Mental Health:
My question is in regard to the child and adolescent mental
health budget.
(1) What has
the department done to improve the capacity of specialised public sector mental
health services, including community child and adolescent mental health
services, to respond to young people in need of specialised mental health
services to provide intervention before they reach a state of considering
suicide?
(2) What
action has the government taken to ensure that the non-government organisations
involved in supporting children and families with mental health problems in the
community have the right training to manage children with complex mental health
problems and high-risk behaviours?
(3) How are the NGO's interventions monitored as
being evidence-based?
(4) If
community agencies require support from child psychiatry services, how are
these services being resourced to provide that support, as well as to manage
the increase in referrals likely from the increased case identification?
(5) What is
the current staffing ratio for child and adolescent mental health services in
full-time equivalents per head of population in the East Metropolitan Region?
ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
869. Hon LINDA
SAVAGE to the Minister for Mental Health:
My question is in regard to the child and adolescent mental
health budget.
(1) What has
the department done to improve the capacity of specialised public sector mental
health services, including community child and adolescent mental health
services, to respond to young people in need of specialised mental health
services to provide intervention before they reach a state of considering
suicide?
(2) What
action has the government taken to ensure that the non-government organisations
involved in supporting children and families with mental health problems in the
community have the right training to manage children with complex mental health
problems and high-risk behaviours?
(3) How are the NGO's interventions monitored as
being evidence-based?
(4) If
community agencies require support from child psychiatry services, how are
these services being resourced to provide that support, as well as to manage
the increase in referrals likely from the increased case identification?
(5) What is
the current staffing ratio for child and adolescent mental health services in
full-time equivalents per head of population in the East Metropolitan Region?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of the question.
(1) The
Department of Health and the Mental Health Commission have been working
together to improve specialised mental health services through both state level
and national partnership agreement funding. Key examples include: $6.5 million
funding allocated for new services for children and youth; $13.47 million over
five years for additional national partnership funding for the mental health
assertive community intervention initiative; and $4.5 million of a combination
of state and national partnership funding for improvements to the Bentley
adolescent unit. Also, negotiations are at a very advanced stage with the
commonwealth for new youth early-psychosis services.
(2) The Mental
Health Commission has provided training support to non-government organisations
involved in working with children and families with mental health problems in
the community by offering scholarships in 2011 and 2012. The intention of the
scholarships is to support and upskill the mental health workforce in current
and evidence-based practice. Applicants from non-government agencies were
marked as a priority in the selection process. In 2011, 13 applications from
people working in the non-government sector were received, and all were awarded
scholarships. In 2012 there were 23 applicants from the non-government sector,
and 17 scholarships were awarded. Applicants were able to choose mental health–related
courses, including those focused on working with children, youth and families.
Other initiatives include fostering closer working relationships between NGOs
and public mental health services.
(3) Prior to
awarding a contract, a due diligence process and a qualitative assessment,
including a review of the proposed intervention against evidence-based best
practice, are undertaken. Subsequently, all services agreements are evaluated
on an ongoing basis through active contract management processes. This includes
the requirement that all funded non-government organisations meet the 2010
national mental health standards, including standard 10.5, ''Treatment
and Support'', which requires services to provide a range of
evidence-based services and supports that address the needs of service users.
(4) See answer
to (1). Priority will always be given to clients who require urgent care.
Community agencies will be supported on a case-by-case basis.
(5) CAMHS does
not have a specific eastern metropolitan region; however, Swan CAMHS and
Bentley family clinic provide services to that area. The clinical FTE per 100 000
population for Swan is 3.4, and for Bentley it is 4.9.
(1) The
Department of Health and the Mental Health Commission have been working
together to improve specialised mental health services through both state level
and national partnership agreement funding. Key examples include: $6.5 million
funding allocated for new services for children and youth; $13.47 million over
five years for additional national partnership funding for the mental health
assertive community intervention initiative; and $4.5 million of a combination
of state and national partnership funding for improvements to the Bentley
adolescent unit. Also, negotiations are at a very advanced stage with the
commonwealth for new youth early-psychosis services.
(2) The Mental
Health Commission has provided training support to non-government organisations
involved in working with children and families with mental health problems in
the community by offering scholarships in 2011 and 2012. The intention of the
scholarships is to support and upskill the mental health workforce in current
and evidence-based practice. Applicants from non-government agencies were
marked as a priority in the selection process. In 2011, 13 applications from
people working in the non-government sector were received, and all were awarded
scholarships. In 2012 there were 23 applicants from the non-government sector,
and 17 scholarships were awarded. Applicants were able to choose mental health–related
courses, including those focused on working with children, youth and families.
Other initiatives include fostering closer working relationships between NGOs
and public mental health services.
(3) Prior to
awarding a contract, a due diligence process and a qualitative assessment,
including a review of the proposed intervention against evidence-based best
practice, are undertaken. Subsequently, all services agreements are evaluated
on an ongoing basis through active contract management processes. This includes
the requirement that all funded non-government organisations meet the 2010
national mental health standards, including standard 10.5, ''Treatment
and Support'', which requires services to provide a range of
evidence-based services and supports that address the needs of service users.
(4) See answer
to (1). Priority will always be given to clients who require urgent care.
Community agencies will be supported on a case-by-case basis.
(5) CAMHS does
not have a specific eastern metropolitan region; however, Swan CAMHS and
Bentley family clinic provide services to that area. The clinical FTE per 100 000
population for Swan is 3.4, and for Bentley it is 4.9.
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