❓ Hon. Sally Talbot questions the Minister for Mental Health regarding the prevalence of serious mental health issues among young people in detention and the resourcing of the Links program. The Minister acknowledges the issue, cites advice suggesting the quoted figures are high, and details funding for the Links pilot program and its ongoing evaluation.
AnsweredQoN 896Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CHILDREN'S COURT — LINKS PROGRAM
896. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the Minister for Mental Health:
(1) Does the
minister agree with recent expert advice that between 50 per cent and 75 per
cent of young people in detention have a serious mental health problem?
(2) If the
minister does not agree, what does the minister believe to be a more accurate
estimate; and on what advice does the minister base this belief?
(3) If the
minister does agree with (1), what advice has the minister provided to the
government about the resourcing of the Children's Court specialised
mental health program, Links?
896. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the Minister for Mental Health:
(1) Does the
minister agree with recent expert advice that between 50 per cent and 75 per
cent of young people in detention have a serious mental health problem?
(2) If the
minister does not agree, what does the minister believe to be a more accurate
estimate; and on what advice does the minister base this belief?
(3) If the
minister does agree with (1), what advice has the minister provided to the
government about the resourcing of the Children's Court specialised
mental health program, Links?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
honourable member for some notice of this question.
(1)–(2) I
have raised this issue with the Chief Psychiatrist, and I have had a look at
the information in that particular report. The Chief Psychiatrist indicated to
me that because of the words that the member has used in the question, namely ''serious
mental health problem'', the figure she has used of between 50 per cent
and 75 per cent is a bit high. For those reasons, he cautions about
ascertaining that between 50 per cent and 75 per cent of young people in
detention have a serious mental illness. So the member should probably go back
and check that those words are not being used inappropriately.
(3) Links is the
Children's Court's program component of a 20-month pilot mental
health court diversion and support program. Links aims to divert young people
with mental health issues, who intersect with the justice system, into
assessment and treatment. An amount of $2.2 million has been allocated by the
state government to the Links program for the pilot program. A process
evaluation is currently underway and will be finalised shortly. The outcomes of
this evaluation will inform consideration of future funding through the budget
process.
honourable member for some notice of this question.
(1)–(2) I
have raised this issue with the Chief Psychiatrist, and I have had a look at
the information in that particular report. The Chief Psychiatrist indicated to
me that because of the words that the member has used in the question, namely ''serious
mental health problem'', the figure she has used of between 50 per cent
and 75 per cent is a bit high. For those reasons, he cautions about
ascertaining that between 50 per cent and 75 per cent of young people in
detention have a serious mental illness. So the member should probably go back
and check that those words are not being used inappropriately.
(3) Links is the
Children's Court's program component of a 20-month pilot mental
health court diversion and support program. Links aims to divert young people
with mental health issues, who intersect with the justice system, into
assessment and treatment. An amount of $2.2 million has been allocated by the
state government to the Links program for the pilot program. A process
evaluation is currently underway and will be finalised shortly. The outcomes of
this evaluation will inform consideration of future funding through the budget
process.
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