About Mental Health Service
- Introduction
- Philosophy
- Client Group
- Who will benefit
- How to access the service
- Programs and Services
- Community Reference Group
- Locations
Introduction
Mental Health Service is an integrated mental health service for children and young people, who are in need of mental health services and who are living in the Melbourne western metropolitan region.
MHS delivers a range of quality services to its clients by a service model that incorporates a central location, Hub, and community locations, Spokes and Satellites.
MHS provides consultation, assessment and treatment services, including individual and family therapy, case management, group programs and inpatient treatment. It also conducts research and contributes to training and development at a broader level.
Community teams maintain a focus on assessment, treatment, case management and community liaison, as well as specialist activities.
These teams are progressively being located at community locations (Spokes and Satellites) to improve access and responsiveness to local community needs.
Philosophy
- Contribute, through a co-operative approach, to holistic care for children and young people with mental health problems.
- Provide the most effective intervention in the least restrictive setting.
- Improve outcomes for clients, by focusing on research and evaluation.
- A commitment to collaborative practice.
Client Group
- Children and young people aged 0-18, inclusive, and their families.
- Youth aged 15-25 years, inclusive, with first onset psychosis; treatment provided for a period of 18 months through Orygen Youth Health.
Who will Benefit from Our Services
MHS accepts referrals of children and young people with serious manifestations of:
- emotional problems, for example, anxiety, depression, tantrums or rage reactions, suicidal thoughts and stress reactions
- behavioural problems, for example, poor self control, truancy and school discipline problems, drug abuse and risk taking
- relationship problems, for example, social withdrawal or isolation, parent-child conflict, poor peer relations and possible autism
- habit or self-care problems, for example, eating disorders, sleep difficulties, tics, poor self-care and self-injury
- other psychological problems, for example, hallucinations, poor 'reality' sense and psychosomatic problems.
How to Access Our Services
Intake
Tel: 1800 44 55 11
A single access point for all referrals (between 9am - 5pm) Intake provides initial triage, referral, case management first appointment and information.
Contact for VACS Psychiatry Clinic Referrals
- Tel: (03) 9345 4026
- Fax: (03) 9345 5763
- E-mail: psychiatry.clinic@rch.org.au
- Referral Form (Word 68 KB)
- RCH Psychiatry Clinic Information Brochure (PDF 120 KB)
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 MHS, 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.
Travancore School
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.
Inpatient Unit
Banksia Adolescent Unit, Footscray Campus - 12 bed
Crisis, assessment and treatment for young people aged 12-18 years, inclusive.
Specialist Services and Programs
MHS 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 MHS's commitment to providing a service that is responsive, accessible and informed by community views, a Community Reference Group was established to advise the MHS 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 MHS 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.