❓ Hon. Sally Talbot questions the Minister for Mental Health regarding the estimated rate of serious mental illness among juvenile detainees and improvements to mental health services in WA. The Minister outlines planning processes and the Children's Court Links program.
AnsweredQoN 1033Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CHILDREN'S
COURT — LINKS PROGRAM
1033. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the
Minister for Mental Health:
I refer to the minister's answer to question without
notice 896 when she asked me to go back and check that the claim that between
50 and 75 per cent of young people in detention have a serious mental illness
was not an inappropriate use of words. Having been back and checked my source,
which confirms this estimate, I now ask the minister —
(1) Given that
the ''2009 NSW Young People in Custody Health Survey: Full Report''
found that 87 per cent had at least one psychological disorder and 72.7 per
cent had two or more disorders, what estimated rate of serious mental illness
amongst juvenile detainees is the government using to plan services for young
people in the justice system?
(2) What
improvements to mental health services and treatment programs for juveniles in
detention in WA have there been in 2013?
COURT — LINKS PROGRAM
1033. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the
Minister for Mental Health:
I refer to the minister's answer to question without
notice 896 when she asked me to go back and check that the claim that between
50 and 75 per cent of young people in detention have a serious mental illness
was not an inappropriate use of words. Having been back and checked my source,
which confirms this estimate, I now ask the minister —
(1) Given that
the ''2009 NSW Young People in Custody Health Survey: Full Report''
found that 87 per cent had at least one psychological disorder and 72.7 per
cent had two or more disorders, what estimated rate of serious mental illness
amongst juvenile detainees is the government using to plan services for young
people in the justice system?
(2) What
improvements to mental health services and treatment programs for juveniles in
detention in WA have there been in 2013?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of the question. I just
found the answer to the question that earlier I did not have for Hon Stephen
Dawson—it was sitting right behind this one; the member will get that
one.
(1) The ''2009
NSW Young People in Custody Health Survey: Full Report'' provides
prevalence data of what it defines as psychological disorders and is a finding
of that report. In that report, 87 per cent of young people were found to have
at least one psychological disorder and 73 per cent were found to have two or
more psychological disorders. The study does not differentiate between severe,
moderate and mild mental illness and includes drug and alcohol and attention
and behaviour disorders. The study does not identify a category of serious
mental illness.
The estimated rate of serious mental illness
for young people is informed by a range of evidence including the 2009 New
South Wales survey. The state government is currently undertaking a detailed
planning process based on the national mental health services planning
framework. The planning entails extensive consultation with stakeholders within
the criminal justice system, forensic mental health services and consumers, and
families and carers to formulate a forensic mental health services plan that
will address the needs of young people within the criminal justice system. This
plan will be delivered by mid-2014.
(2) The state
government has focused on diverting young people from the criminal justice
system, such as the Children's Court Links program. For the children's
program, a small clinical team, including a forensic psychologist and 1.5 mental
health nurses, has commenced. The team will have access to a consultant
psychiatrist. The Links program supports the existing multidisciplinary,
multi-agency response in the Perth Children's Court.
Links commenced services on 8 April
and in the first two months of operation assessed 30 children. Links is the
primary case manager for five children, with many of the other children
assessed receiving mental health support from Links via their community youth
justice case manager or by liaising with custody staff.
Additional information can be
provided by the Department of Corrective Services; however, more time is
required to collate this information. I therefore ask the honourable member to
place this question on notice.
found the answer to the question that earlier I did not have for Hon Stephen
Dawson—it was sitting right behind this one; the member will get that
one.
(1) The ''2009
NSW Young People in Custody Health Survey: Full Report'' provides
prevalence data of what it defines as psychological disorders and is a finding
of that report. In that report, 87 per cent of young people were found to have
at least one psychological disorder and 73 per cent were found to have two or
more psychological disorders. The study does not differentiate between severe,
moderate and mild mental illness and includes drug and alcohol and attention
and behaviour disorders. The study does not identify a category of serious
mental illness.
The estimated rate of serious mental illness
for young people is informed by a range of evidence including the 2009 New
South Wales survey. The state government is currently undertaking a detailed
planning process based on the national mental health services planning
framework. The planning entails extensive consultation with stakeholders within
the criminal justice system, forensic mental health services and consumers, and
families and carers to formulate a forensic mental health services plan that
will address the needs of young people within the criminal justice system. This
plan will be delivered by mid-2014.
(2) The state
government has focused on diverting young people from the criminal justice
system, such as the Children's Court Links program. For the children's
program, a small clinical team, including a forensic psychologist and 1.5 mental
health nurses, has commenced. The team will have access to a consultant
psychiatrist. The Links program supports the existing multidisciplinary,
multi-agency response in the Perth Children's Court.
Links commenced services on 8 April
and in the first two months of operation assessed 30 children. Links is the
primary case manager for five children, with many of the other children
assessed receiving mental health support from Links via their community youth
justice case manager or by liaising with custody staff.
Additional information can be
provided by the Department of Corrective Services; however, more time is
required to collate this information. I therefore ask the honourable member to
place this question on notice.
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