How to be referred
Referrals of children, young people (under the age of 18 years) and their families to community mental health clinics can come from a:
- GP
- treating therapist
- specialist
- school
- community organisation.
There is a designated person at every community mental health clinic who can provide advice and support on referrals and options in your area. Find out where your local Mental Health Community clinic is here.
How long will it take to get an appointment?
This is best answered by contacting the reception at the community you have been referred to or the community mental health clinic in your area.
Explaining Choice and Partnership appointments
If you and your family decide you want to come and see us, you can call our reception to book a first appointment with us. We call this a Choice appointment.
This first appointment will usually last one to two hours. You will be seen by one or two people who will talk to you and your parents or carers to understand the issues and to decide who might be best to work with you.
We may work with your parents or carers, supporting them to help you. We have found that things work best when we all come together to help solve the problems. We will discuss with you the kind of help and treatment we or other agencies might be able to offer.
If we decide with you that you do not need to see us, then we will link you with the most appropriate person and agency that can help.
If we decide with you, that support and treatment from our team at the community mental health clinic is needed, then we will ask you to choose a suitable day and time for you to see us again for another appointment, called a Partnership appointment.
Partnership appointment
You will be seen by the people who will best be able to help you, depending upon the type of problem and the reason for your referral.
At the end of the meeting we will work out a plan together. You will have a say as we work out what happens next. You might keep coming to community mental health, or you may go to another service. We may want to see you by yourself, in a group of children with similar worries, with your family or we may only need to see your parents or carers.
Will it be private?
It is sometimes helpful for us to talk with other people like your teacher or your doctor. We will ask you and your parents or carers for permission first, before we contact them. If we think that you might be in danger of being hurt, then we may need to tell someone else to keep you safe. We will try and answer any questions you have when we meet.
Consent
Consent will be explained at your appointment and you will be provided with a consent form to sign, if you have any concerns or questions please discuss this at your appointment. Consent forms are updated on a regular basis.
Our specialist services and day programs are designed to help young people with complex mental health needs.
Touchstone
Touchstone is a structured day programme for young people aged 12-17 years and their families. The programme works with young people who are struggling to cope with relationships, mood difficulties and impulsive self-harming behaviours.
The therapy programme offers an evidence-based intervention called Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT). The focus of this is supporting young people and their families to increase their capacity to better understand the link between feelings and behaviours and how they impact on their day to day lives. In this process, the young person is encouraged and supported to develop their own ability to manage life stressors and access help when and where needed. For this reason, commitment of the young person and their family to engage with the program is essential.
Young people are referred by their community CAMHS teams for an assessment. The assessment process allows us to meet the young person and their family, to find out a little more about each other and confirm suitability for the program whilst also identifying individual therapeutic goals. Our team will strive to find a time that is suitable for the young person and their family.
What happens at Touchstone
If a young person is accepted into the programme they and their family are invited to attend an introductory group before entry into the full therapy programme. The full therapy program consists of case management, individual, group and family therapy as well as occupational therapy, community outings and creative therapies.
Young people attend for at least three days of the week for six months, with onsite school sessions as part of the programme.
Referrals
Referrals to Touchstone are through Community mental health clinics.
Contact Touchstone.
Multi-systemic therapy
Multisystemic therapy (MST) is an intensive intervention helping families with young people aged 11 to 16 years experiencing serious behavioural and mental health problems, who are at risk of:
- chronic mental illness including substance abuse
- out of home placements due to family conflicts
- expelled from school due to violence or truancy
- involvement with the police and juvenile justice system.
What happens at MST
MST is an intensive four to five month program that provides parents and carers with knowledge and skills to help their children.
Clinicians meet with parents and carers in their home to empower them to understand and solve their family problems. They meet parents about three times per week, including after normal work hours to ensure parents are engaged with the process.
MST provides families with communication and problem-solving skills they need to better manage their own problems. Typical family goals include keeping the young person in school, not breaking laws, and living at home with less conflict.
Further information about Multisystemic Therapy can be obtained directly from
MST Services.
Referrals
Referrals accepted from School Psychologists, Community Mental Health clinics, Child Protection and Family Services, Juvenile Justice, GP's and private health and mental health practitioners.
Pathways
Pathways is a statewide service providing assessment, treatment and support for children with complex and longstanding mental health issues and their parents/carers.
The program offers intensive therapeutic intervention that includes school and family outreach. Once accepted into the program, each family is allocated a mental health clinician who will be the main contact person to coordinate the child's care.
Pathways work with families in a range of ways.
What happens at Pathways
At Pathways, each child is assessed for their unique strengths and difficulties at home and school. They are then given intensive treatment by way of group and individual therapy for children and care givers.
Holiday programs for carers and children to target specific goals eg. Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Families, social skills, transition to high school readiness are also a part of the program.
Contact Pathways.
To protect patients, visitors and staff, all services across CAHS is a smoke-free environment (including the use of vapes or e-cigarettes).