Another 3,560 people will have a psychotic disorder.
To try to deal with these challenges, South Western Sydney Public Health Network [SWSPHN] has launched a series of new local mental health services.
Newly appointed SWSPHN CEO Keith McDonald said the delivery of the new services represented the biggest mental health reform in South Western Sydney.
“There is now a range of new mental health services available for local people, no matter what level of support is needed, there is a service to support them with the help of their GP,” Mr McDonald said.
“In designing these services we have done a lot of listening and consulted widely.
“Our new mental health services have been developed by engaging and consulting with consumers, carers and other stakeholders in South Western Sydney,’’ he said.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“The stepped care model will ensure no one falls through the cracks and consumers receive the right care at the right time in the right place.”[/social_quote]
The new services will accommodate the needs of specific groups within South West Sydney who may be unsuitable to access services through Medicare’s Better Access initiative.
The services will operate using a stepped model of care, which covers the whole population from young people, to low and moderate need, and high and complex need.
The services include:
You in Mind: psychological therapies for people who have a diagnosed mild to moderate mental illness;
STAR4Kids: psychological therapies for children aged 3-12 years who have, or are at risk of developing, a mild to moderate mental health condition;
Clinical Suicide Prevention Service: priority access to services for people who have attempted suicide or have suicide ideation of low to medium risk;
Credentialed Mental Health Nurse Service: ongoing therapeutic interventions and coordination of clinical services for those with severe and persistent mental illness.
SWSPHN, which is based in Campbelltown and has offices on the third floor of Bolger Place near Macarthur Square, has also commissioned a range of low intensity mental health supports aimed at assisting people to cope with the stresses and challenges of life and become equipped with practical skills to prevent these issues from developing into more complex mental health problems.
These approaches include the Beyond Blue developed program, New Access, a low-intensity cognitive behaviour therapy program which helps people set practical goals and deal with early signs of depression and anxiety.
This program can be offered over the phone and through face to-face support.
SWSPHN has also responded to the significant need for a regional response to suicide prevention by commissioning Lifeline Macarthur to coordinate activities that include gatekeeper training, support groups for survivors of suicide and those bereaved by suicide, means restriction and aftercare support for people who require additional support after a recent attempt.
