$3million boost for mental health services in Peel and Rockingham

08/06/06 A $3million upgrade to mental health services in the Peel and Rockingham-Kwinana districts will help dozens of adults with severe mental illnesses and children with behavioural and emotional problems.

08/06/06
A $3million upgrade to mental health services in the Peel and Rockingham-Kwinana districts will help dozens of adults with severe mental illnesses and children with behavioural and emotional problems.

Health Minister Jim McGinty said an extra 30 clinical staff had been recruited and new therapy programs introduced to significantly improve services offered to mental health patients.
"This is an exceptional boost to mental health services in the south metropolitan region, which will provide patients with the highest level of care and significantly improve their chances of recovery," Mr McGinty said.
"Adults and children with a mental illness will have access to earlier treatment through a range of intervention and therapy programs which will offer a high level of support and assistance to participants."
The key initiatives of the upgrade to the Peel and Rockingham Kwinana (PARK) mental health service include:

  • The Intensive Day Therapy Unit (The Catalpa Centre): This new unit in Rockingham will provide intensive therapy to up to 30 people with a severe mental illness from the PARK area, including depression, anxiety, panic disorder, eating disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. A team of 10 staff including social workers, community mental health nurses, occupational therapists, an art therapist, clinical psychologists, a consultant psychiatrist, and a medical officer will staff the unit, which will reduce demand for hospital beds by providing an alternative to hospital admission for people with acute disorders.
  • Expansion of PARK Child and Adolescent Services and Adult Community Mental Health Teams: An extra 12 staff including a clinical psychologist, social worker, consultant psychiatrist, and community mental health nurses, have been recruited to improve the level of service offered to children and adults with a mental illness. Staff will be based in Rockingham and Mandurah, and will be able to improve urgent response times, conduct home visits and provide early intervention and therapy to patients, reducing waiting time for routine appointments.
  • New MultiSystemic Therapy program: A team of five mental health clinicians will provide a flexible home-based service for young people aged 12 to 16 and their families in the Rockingham, Kwinana and Mandurah areas. The service will provide therapy and practical support to allow adolescents to deal more effectively with their behavioural problems and to help prevent the development of a mental illness. Evidence has shown that the program significantly increases family functioning, school attendance and reduces offending behaviour in a young person.
  • Extra mental health staff for RKDH emergency department: Three extra specialist mental health nurses have been recruited at the Rockingham Kwinana District Hospital to provide improved care and treatment to people presenting at the emergency department with mental health problems. Patients will be assessed and treated quicker, improving their chances of recovery.
The funding is part of the Government's $173million Mental Health Strategy to improve mental health services around the State.
The Minister said planning was also under way on two new initiatives to further expand mental health services in the PARK region.
"Mental health services in the Peel and Rockingham Kwinana will continue to be enhanced with the construction of a 25-bed intermediate care facility at the Rockingham Kwinana District Hospital (RKDH) campus, which is expected to be completed by December 2007," Mr McGinty said.
"Another significant project will be the opening of the 40-bed PARK mental health unit inpatient service in December 2008, which will form part of the RKDH redevelopment.
"These new initiatives will make a huge difference to the lives of people in the Peel and Rockingham Kwinana region who suffer from a mental illness and will ensure that they receive the best treatment and care they deserve."
Minister's office: 9220 5000