YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FORUMS 2017BARRETT ADOLESCENT CENTRE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY REPORT IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT

OVERVIEW OF HEALTH CONSUMERS QLD ROLE

Health Consumers Queensland is the peak organisation representing the interests of health consumers and carers in the state.

Health Consumers Queensland is working with the Queensland Government to help implement their response to the recommendations from the Barrett Adolescent Centre Commission of Inquiry Report.

Health Consumers Queensland aims to support safe, meaningful engagement of young people and families throughout the co-design of new services and implementation of the Government Response.

Since the first meeting with Queensland Health on 17 August 2016, Health Consumers Queensland has been committed to supporting and conducting consumer, carer and community engagement.

CONSUMER SUPPORT AND CAPACITY BUILDING

• Recruitment and training• Provide ongoing mentoring

and strategic advice to consumer, carer and community representatives during the life of the project

• Co-design engagement opportunities that best meet the needs of consumers, carers and community members

FACILITATING CONSUMER PARTICIPATION

38 Consumer Positions recruited 3 Draft Model of Service workshops 3 Infrastructure Co-Design workshops 5 Project Oversight Group meetings 7 Steering Committee meetings and

Consumer/Carer presentation to Minister and Steering Committee

4 Consumer Reference Groups 3 Expert Panel meetings

PROMOTION AND AWARENESS

Webpage developed and launched with survey during Mental Health Week (www.hcq.org.au/barrett-inquiry)

Media release during Mental Health Week

Subscribers to updates Updates sent Emails to family, consumers and

community Facebook and Twitter posts

CONSULTATION ACTIVITIES

Survey 1 Severe Youth Mental Health - 165 Survey responses

Survey 2 Education - 44 Survey responses 19 Snapshots by carers 17 Snapshots by consumers

Issues for consumers and carers in relation to services for young people with severe and complex mental health issues, ranked in order of importance

Improved access to services for people in rural and regional areas

Improvement to existing services

Development of new services

More support and education for families

Increased training and education for healthcare practitioners about young people with severe and

complex mental health issues

Changes to policy and practice in relation to legal rights for young people and/or their families

Service types for young people with severe and complex mental health issues, ranked in order of importance

Step up/Step down services

Community-based mental health services like CYMHS or Headspace

Services in areas other than health care, e.g. education, training, employment, legal

Acute inpatient services

Extended treatment and rehabilitation services (inpatient beds)

Private mental health services

Factors essential for consideration in design of services for young people with severe and complex mental health issues as they transition from adolescence to adulthood, ranked in order of importance

A period of overlap between adolescent services and adult services

Assessment of readiness of the patient to transition

Consumer input and choice in the transition process

Availability of educational and vocational options that integrate with adult mental health treatment

The availability of suitable adult mental health services

The age of the patient

Design features necessary for services for young people with severe and complex mental health issues, ranked in order of importance

Access to a wide range of health and allied health professionals

Outdoor settings

Integrated educational/vocational component

A non-institutional feel

A statewide support and education hub

Access to a hospital nearby

Open plan design

A co-located research group/facility focused on youth mental health

KEY THEMES FROM SURVEY RESPONSES

Education Respect and

Trust Culture and

Care Family

WHAT PEOPLE SAID ABOUT EDUCATION

More education services available to youth with mental health issues to help them to better understand themselves and what they are going through.

Kids who have left their schooling due to complex mental health disorders need support to seek other forms of education and advice. It is also important to ensure life skills that may not have been taught (due to extensive periods being hospitalised) should be practiced e.g. learning to drive, cooking

Maintaining access to appropriate educational services is important

A longer-term focus that looks beyond symptom reduction to building skills and abilities that will allow them to succeed in the world

Family therapy and parenting support/psychoeducation should be a compulsory and significant part of the treatment plan

WHAT PEOPLE SAID ABOUT RESPECT AND TRUST

Don't leave anyone behind

Respect. These kids are people, not disorders.

The time it takes for relationships to be built for adequate and appropriate care to be given.

We need places people are going to feel safe & nurtured with activities & learning opportunity…not a clinical prison

Listen to them. Walk side by side with them. Sometimes listen to your intuition because sometimes research literature/evidence is only young and may not provide adequate direction for some problems. Always maintain a human element of therapy.

Glad to hear things are changing. Kids and then adults are going to keep dying because of the way things are now and the complete lack of trust we have in the actual person experiencing these things.

Holistic all round support through all ages integration to adulthood to be more stepped out

WHAT PEOPLE SAID ABOUT CULTURE AND CARE

Integration across primary and acute care. General practitioner education and awareness about related issues

Improve cultural responsiveness and safety of mental health facilities and interventions for young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island backgrounds

A longer-term focus that looks beyond symptom reduction to building skills and abilities that will allow them to succeed in the world

Change to the culture at some Child and Youth Mental Health offices about contemporary ways to assist and to provide early intervention support rather than turning people away until they become acute.

Family involvement critical, not peripheral

Family Support / Contribution - include families at all times. Work with the family not against them. They know the adolescent better than anyone.

WHAT PEOPLE SAID ABOUT FAMILY

Family therapy and parenting support/psychoeducation should be a compulsory and significant part of the treatment plan

Places for families to stay whilst their child is in hospital (families who are not local)

A welcoming environment for families/carers.

KEY TAKEAWAY MESSAGES

The involvement of family and a holistic approach to service delivery is essential in developing services for young people with severe and complex mental health issues

Integrated education is considered very important for inclusion in a new facility

A non-institutional feel and open spaces should be considered in the design process

Continued education and awareness of severe and complex youth mental health issues is important for all health professionals

Transition from youth to adult services is extremely important – a period of overlap between services is essential

Patient-centred approaches that take into account the development of each young person are vital.

Images in this presentation sourced on freestock.com