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Australian Infant, Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Association Ltd
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Discussion 1: Models of service - Inpatient/Day Programs SIG

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Discussion re: Inpatient models of service, June 2001

All

I am currently looking at inpatient models of service for young people, principally under 18 years. I would be grateful if people could email me either:

if they have an interest in this topic as AICAFMHA is in the process of setting up a range of special interest groups including this area. I am hopeful that some of the information collected in this exercise can be placed online for sharing with others in the area.
if you are running an inpatient service and have documentation on the setting up of such a service. The documentation could be on the philosophy of service-including the age range served, actual physical design plans or any other documentation that you believe would be helpful, including standards or procedures.

Regards
Phil Robinson
Chair, Board of Directors
AICAFMHA
Submitted: 3^rd June 2001

We have an inpatient unit of 10 beds for 0-14 years and would be pleased to participate in such discussion. Currently we are reviewing a number of areas of practice.

Thanks
Dr Scott Harden
MBBS FRANZCP Member of the Faculty of Child Psychiatry
Medical Director
Child and Family Therapy Unit
Royal Childrens Hospital
Herston Brisbane Qld 4029
Submitted: 4^th June 2001

I am working at St Vincent Hospital Robina in Child & Youth Mental Health Unit. We have adapted the Resourceful Adolescent Program for use in the unit. We run it over two weeks with between 1 -2 session/day. This fits in with the two week assessment period for the unit. I would be happy to be involved any further discussions.

Ian McKenzie
Clinical Nurse
Child and Youth Unit
Submitted: 4^th June 2001

At the Mater Child and Youth Mental Health Service, Brisbane, we are about to open a 12 bed Inpatient Unit for children and young people 0 - 18 years. We are currently finalising our policies and procedures and will officially open 6 of the 12 beds on July 2nd, following a 2 week training program for all staff.

We would be happy to be involved in further discussions.

Sue O'Rourke
Team Leader, Inpatient Services
Child and Youth Mental Health Service
Mater Children's Hospital, Brisbane
Submitted: 5^th June 2001

I am a social worker at a state wide inpatient unit for 13-18 yr olds in WA. I would be most interested in participating in ongoing discussions on this and related issues.

Jenny Hoffman
Senior Social Worker
Way Centre Adolescent Unit
Bentley Health Service
Mills Street, Bentley
WA 6102
Submitted: 14^th June 2001

ACT CAMHS is about to commence a 6 month trial of an adolescent day hospital/program. We will be running this over 4 days a week with a staff of 4. There will be 6 clients in each cycle with the ability to add two if necesary. It will run over 4 cycles of 5 weeks each. It will be reviewed at the end of the year by Professor Barry Nurcombe to see if it is a viable option for treating adolescent aged 12-18 with moderate to severe mental health issues.

ACT currently has no designated inpatient facility for children and adolescents. I believe a unit containing 3 beds would be sufficient for our population (a little over 300,000). I would be interested in hearing from anyone working in a city of similar size what they do for children and adolescents who require admission. We utilise our adolescent medical ward with enormous support from the nursing staff there. But this is not always appropriate for those young people with early onset or acting out behaviour.

Merrie Carling
ACT CAMHS
Submitted: 15^th June 2001

After a very long lead time (20 years) we are moving quickly on the establishment of a 12 bed child and adolescent psychiatric unit (under 18 yrs). The planning is informed by the draft NSW Child and Adolescent Psychiatric inpatient services plan and the NSW Mental Health Care and Prevention Plan. A day program is also in the pipeline, but at a different location. This will be dependent on finding suitable accommodation to co-locate community CAMHS services and the day program. Since its opening in 1991 we have admitted children and adolescents with mental health problems to the adolescent ward at John Hunter Children's Hospital. This has had its limitations and difficulties, as anyone doing similar would be very aware.

Professor Philip Hazell
Director, Child and Youth Mental Health Service
Locked Bag 1014
Wallsend NSW 2287
Submitted: 19^th June 2001

Our local MHS is not currently doing anything about this issue and like yourselves admits children and adolescents to the paediatric ward the majority of the time.

I would be interested in your progress, the size of your catchment area and any difficulties you encounter.

I am very interested in your proposed day program as this is a re-occurring issue in most places.

One of our biggest problems is critical mass of population with only 200 000 people living in the whole of the Territory.

Good luck.

Beth Walker
Executive Officer
Top End Association for Mental Health
PO Box 950
PARAP NT 0804
Submitted: 20^th June 2001

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Last Modified: 18-01-2003 13:09:27