Introduction
The Royal Children's Hospital Integrated Mental Health Program (IMHP) is a publicly-funded mental health service for children and young people who live in the Western Metropolitan Region of Melbourne and are between 0 - 15 years of age.
Modern mental health programs are strongly linked with other services, and use the multi-disciplinary perspectives of Child Psychotherapy, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Psychiatry, Paediatrics, Psychology, Social Work and Speech Therapy. Special Education staff from the Travancore School work in partnership with clinical staff.
These clinicians work collaboratively with children, parents and families, and with other service providers to deliver integrated care, when children need services concurrently from other providers. They use structured assessments to identify difficulties and strengths, and the best available evidence to select and deliver the safest, most effective care.
Services include telephone advice and triage, prevention and early intervention, assessment, consultation and liaison, and treatment. Treatment is individualized and family-centred, and may include individual, group or family therapy, and case management. Specific treatment programs are provided for most mental disorders, with clinical research and training.
Philosophy
RCH is committed to provide a unified, cohesive health service to children and their families. We will uphold this commitment by focusing on the patient journey and applying the general principles of family-centred care, quality, safety and operational efficiency. Our IMHP models of care will be underpinned by the principles of right care, right time, right person, and right place - in partnership.
We aim to build a culture of working in the service of the whole; committing ourselves to our client's wellbeing and to continual service improvement; to collaborative, ethical and efficient practice; to the pursuit of excellence through scientific inquiry, learning, benchmarking and sharing; and holding ourselves accountable by seeking feedback about the results of our action.
Our Aims:
- To reduce the prevalence and severity of psychiatric disorders in the children and adolescents of the North Western Metropolitan Region of Victoria, and diminish their adverse effects.
- To provide a comprehensive range of high quality mental health services for children and adolescents, that are integrated and coordinated with other relevant services.
- To continuously improve the quality of mental health services through ongoing evaluation and research, continuous quality improvement, and effective staff selection and development.
- To conduct research into the prevention and treatment of psychiatric disorders in childhood and adolescence, and deliver prevention and health promotion programs within our community.
- To provide high quality training in mental health care within the child and adolescent health sector across a range of mental health disciplines.
- To provide quality psychological services encompassing assessment and treatment of psychological and cognitive consequences of serious childhood illness and trauma.
- To support other professionals in the community to treat mild to moderately severe mental illnesses in children and adolescents, promote mental health and reduce psychosocial disability.
Who is Eligible for Our Services?
Outpatients - Children and young people aged up to 15 years, who present severe, complex or high-risk mental health problems.
Ongoing clients of the Royal Children's Hospital who present co-morbid mental health problems may be accepted for assessment and treatment up to 17 years, through a VACS-funded Clinic.
- Youth over the age of 15 years are eligible for mental health services through Orygen Youth Health.
- Inpatients - The Banksia Adolescent Inpatient Unit will accept clients from 12-18 years of age.
- Indicators of severe mental health problems:
- Emotional problems, e.g. stress reactions, anxiety, depression, severe tantrums, rage reactions, suicidal thoughts or impulses,
- Behaviour problems, e.g. aggression, bullying, poor self-control and discipline problems, truancy, drug abuse, fire-setting
- Relationship problems, e.g. social withdrawal and isolation, parent - child conflict, peer relationship difficulties, possible autism
- Habit or Self-Care problems, e.g. eating disorders, sleep disturbances, tics, self-injury, self-neglect
- Other problems, e.g. hallucinations, experiences of 'unreality', psycho-somatic problems, dissociation.
How to Access Our Services
Intake
Tel: 1800 44 55 11
Fax No. (03) 9345 6030
E-mail: mhs.intake@rch.org.au
A single access point for all referrals (between 9am - 5pm). Intake provides initial triage, referral, case management first appointment and information for all services offered by Integrated Mental Health Program except VACS Psychiatry Clinic
VACS Psychiatry Clinic Referrals
Contact Clinic Administration
Tel. (03) 9345 6180
Fax. (03) 9345 5034
Programs and Services
Individual and Family Assessment and Therapy
Multidisciplinary teams across the service provide assessment of children, adolescents and young people. Families and/or their carers are involved in this process, as appropriate.
Professional disciplines represented in the teams may include psychiatry, psychology, social work, psychiatric nursing, occupational therapy, speech pathology, child psychotherapy, family therapy and teaching.
Case Management
Each client is allocated a case manager at the time of being accepted into IMHP, to:
- maintain overall co-ordination and continuity of the clinical management plan for the client,
- provide clinical support and intervention while the client is registered with the service,
- be responsible for the development and implementation of the case plan, on an individual, group and/or family therapy basis.
Community Group Programs
A range of group programs focusing on the diverse needs and goals of children and young people that operate during Monday to Friday.
Consultation and Liaison Team
CL is the Consultation and Liaison Mental Health Service for infants, children and adolescents who are patients of the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH). CL provides assessment and treatment to children and adolescents aged 0-18 years who are experiencing psychiatric problems associated with their medical condition and/or treatment.
The Travancore School is funded by the Department of Education and Training and contributes to the resourcing of the Community Group Program with an emphasis on reintegration of young people into mainstream school.
A 16 bed unit located at The Royal Children's Hospital which provides crisis, assessment and treatment for young people aged 12-18 years.
IMHP provides a range of clinics which treat and research particular disorders, including, early psychosis, mood and anxiety disorders, autism, infant mental health, psychology , telepsychiatry and Addressing Family Violence Programs
VACS Psychiatry Clinic
The RCH Psychiatry Clinic adds a new psychiatry service for RCH patients who present mental health problems but may be ineligible for CAMHS Community Clinics. Psychiatrists have specialist qualifications in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of emotional problems and mental illness, and consider the relationship between the physical, mental and social domains. They treat the effects of physical conditions on the mind, and the effects of mental disorders on the body and physical wellbeing.
This RCH Psychiatry Clinic is funded by the Health Department Victorian Ambulatory Classification and Funding System, at no cost to clients. This arrangement will extend the capacity of current Mental Health & Drugs Program funded services to RCH patients.
The RCH Psychiatry Clinic provides psychiatric care to children and adolescents up to the age of sixteen years, who present co-morbid mental health problems and physical health problems, and are being treated at the Royal Children's Hospital.
The Clinic is staffed by psychiatrists, with experience in working with children and young people with co-morbid physical illnesses and disabilities. The Clinic offers assessment and short to medium-term treatment of these problems, with consultation to referring paediatricians.
Community Reference Group
As part of IMHP's commitment to providing a service that is responsive, accessible and informed by community views, a Community Reference Group was established to advise the IMHP Executive.
The Community Reference Group comprises representatives from a broad range of community organisations located in the Western Metropolitan Region, including: education, accommodation, community health, general practice, drug and alcohol services, juvenile justice, protective services, municipal and youth services, as well as NESB and consumers.
The Group provides community input to policy and planning, facilitates communication between IMHP and agencies, facilitates the establishment of joint initiatives and encourages the delivery of effective, efficient, consumer-oriented services to children, young people and their families in the western region.
The Group promotes collaborative practice and welcomes input from community agencies.