The Youth Mental Health in the ACT report by the ACT Legislative Assembly's Standing Committee on Education, Employment and Youth Affairs released today addresses
the state of youth (under 25 years of age) mental health and operation of youth mental health services across the ACT, with particular reference to:
i. hearing the voices of the ACT community, including young people and their families, young people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) communities, young people living with disability, young people with lived experience of mental health and addiction challenges, young people affected by suicide and people involved in preventing and responding to mental health and addiction challenges;
ii. ACT’s current approach to prevention and early intervention strategies and services for youth mental health and addiction, and what needs to change;
iii. reviewing the work being undertaken in ACT schools to identify students at risk and early intervention strategies available to address such concerns;
iv. the availability of professional mental health services for students and their families at school and out of hours, including weekends and school holidays;
v. reviewing data published by Mission Australia, the Black Dog Institute and other organisations on youth mental health statistics in the ACT, as well as relevant experiences and learnings from other jurisdictions;
vi. reviewing data relating to family-based prevention and early intervention, including the impacts of screen time on children's mental health, family separation/divorce and family lifestyle;
vii. reporting on how the ACT Government is preventing mental health and addiction challenges and responding to the needs of young people with those challenges; and viii. family based prevention and early intervention strategies, community confidence in the youth mental health system and better outcomes for ATSI, CALD youth, youth living with disability as well as other groups of youth that have disproportionally poorer outcomes.
The focus was on:
i. mental health challenges and needs of young people in the ACT across the full spectrum from mental distress to enduring psychiatric illness;
ii. ready access to mental health support and services by young people;
iii. identifying roles and responsibilities of the family unit in supporting youth facing mental health and addiction challenges, and supporting families in carrying out these roles and responsibilities;
iv. prevention and early intervention of mental health and addiction strategies;
v. identifying and responding to young people with mental health and addiction challenges; vi. youth suicide prevention and support for those close to someone who has taken their own life;
vii. range of services available in ACT schools including counsellors, pastoral care workers, psychologists and other mental health professionals both in schools and within the Directorate;
viii. the extent and availability of mental health first aid training for teachers and learning assistants.
The Committee's recommendations are
1 The Committee recommends the ACT Government provide mental healt h training to teachers and principals so that they can recognise signs of mental health issues in students such as depression and anxiety and know what action to take.
2 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government recruit more school psychologists.
3 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government recruit more youth workers in schools.
4 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government reinstate access to the National School Chaplaincy Program for ACT government schools.
5 The Committee recommends the ACT Government improve privacy for students accessing counselling services at schools.
6 The Committee recommends the ACT Government implement digital mental health screening/check-ups in schools to reduce depression, anxiety and suicide risk.
7 The Committee recommends the ACT Government amend eligibility for Learning Support Units so that meeting ACT Student Disability Criteria be considered suitable to enter or access the services of a school’s Learning Support Unit.
8 The Committee recommends the ACT Government provide students with access to mental health support services at any time and ensure after-hours options are communicated to students at school.
9 The Committee recommends the ACT Government also provide access to school-based mental health resources and expertise to non-government schools, where there is a demonstrated need.
10 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government consult with the Galilee School on the support they need as they work with young people’s mental health issues.
11 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government quantify the private expenditure that ACT residents are spending on mental health services and identify the mental health treatment pathways being pursued by Canberra residents and report back to the Assembly by mid-2021.
12 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government address gaps in mental health service provision between different age brackets.
13 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government address gaps in mental health service provision between different genders.
14 The Committee recommends the ACT Government provide ongoing professional development to mental health professionals.
15 The Committee recommends that CAMHS, and CYPS where relevant, always encourage young people who leave the STEPS program to return to the program in future.
16 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government conduct a formal evaluation of the PACER program with a view to making it a permanent service with expanded coverage and times.
17 The Committee recommends the ACT Government prioritise making more mental health treatments, of the kind young people are currently required to travel interstate to access, available in Canberra.
18 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government provide financial support, and promote the availability of this support, to families who are required to travel interstate for their children’s mental health treatments.
19 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government publish the timeline for completion of theAdolescent Mental Health Unit at the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children by the last sitting day of the 9th Assembly.
20 The Committee recommends the ACT Government fund and implement the elements of the Model of Care for the Adolescent Mental Health Unit and Day Service (parts of the day program and the expanded Adolescent Mobile Outreach Service) which can commence prior to the building’s completion.
21 The Committee recommends the ACT Government provide more counselling services to address the gap between headspace requirements for treatment and other facilities such as CAMHS so that young patients are adequately supported.
22 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government expand the eligible age range for the planned Adolescent Mental Health Unit and CAMHS to 25 years of age.
23 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government work with higher education providers to ensure there is suitable provision of mental health services on campus.
24 The Committee recommends that every patient under 25 years of age be given a care plan and an immediate case manager to help them recover when discharged from a mental health unit. The plan should also be communicatedto carers.
25 The Committee recommends the ACT Government develop a plan to train and recruit more female youth mental health professionals in the ACT.
26 The Committee recommends the ACT Government assess the current mental health workforce and ensure it reflects the diversity of Canberra’s population.
27 The Committee recommends the ACT Government investigate funding and making available trained psychologists for intermittent non-going one-off psychologist visits for individuals whilst they are waiting for an opening for a long-term ongoing psychologist.
28 The Committee recommends the ACT Government provide more support, education and access to critical mental health information for registered young carers.
29 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government conduct an evaluation with a view to making the Safe and Connected Youth trial a permanent service.
30 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government give more consideration of parents/carers in relevant legislation such that at milestones of 16/18years of age, parents are not removed from care planning.
31 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government review the application process for legal guardianship so that parents and carers can assist in obtaining appropriate treatments for young people with mental health challenges.
32 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government ensure that, where appropriate and with the young person’s consent, information is shared between mental health services accessed by young detainees and Bimberi staff to enable Bimberi staff to best support the young person.
33 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government provide youth-centric mental health support services at the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
34 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government allow carers to be informed about suicide attempts and mental health care plans, if the relevant young person consents, at the beginning of justice system entry.
35 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government improve mental health and wellbeing services for Bimberi and AMC (young detainees) by providing external vocational education and training based on the detainees’ interests.
36 The Committee recommends that every detainee under 25 years of age who has presented with mental health challenges be given a care plan and an immediate casemanager to help them recover when discharged from Bimberi, AMC or Dhulwa. The plan should also be communicated to carers.
37 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government provide caseworkers who assist young people transitioning out of a detention setting with Mental Health First Aid training to ensure the young people are supported in an appropriate manner.
38 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government provide mental health support, especially for those under 25 involved with the justice system to divert young people from custodial harm.
39 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government fund more accessible and free counselling and mentor services for young people aged 12-25 years.
40 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government trial more automated e-health services and report back on outcomes by mid-2021.
41 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government investigate implementing evidence-based CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) online programs.
42 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government should as a matter of urgency bring online the central navigation portal for youth mental health services.
43 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government expand drug rehabilitation services in the ACT.
44 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government expand evidence-based residential rehabilitation programs for young people struggling with addictionin the ACT.
45 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government pursue young people’s use and possession of drugs in a coordinated and holistic manner.
46 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government consider further criminal justice diversion for young drug users by investigating the appropriateness of a simple drug offence notice for some drugs.
47 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government quantify the prevalence of eating disorders in the ACT and the treatment pathways beingpursued by Canberra residents and report back to the Assembly by mid-2021.
48 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government provide an update on the 2018 Position Statement on Eating Disorders by the last sitting day of the 9th Assembly.
49 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government provide further eating disorder support services in the ACT, prioritising services on the northside.
50 The Committee recommends the ACT Government expedite the construction of an inpatient eating disorder clinic.
51 The Committee recommends that CAHMS expand its work to include and/or further cater to autistic youth.
52 The Committee recommends that the mental health sector and Child and Youth Protection Services need better training, knowledge and understanding about autistic youth.
53 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government assess whether existing mental health services are appropriate for young Canberrans living with a disability.
54 The Committee recommends that the ACT Children and Young People Death Review Committee reviews should include reporting for people aged up to 25 years.
55 The Committee recommends the ACT Government consider how to address the broader root causes and compounding factors of youth mental illness.
56 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government support the holistic needs of the ACT’s youngest and most vulnerable children (first 1,000 days) to prevent the effects of trauma and disadvantage from detrimentally affecting the development of foundational life skills, including support for their social and emotional wellbeing.
57 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government identify and respond to the holistic needs of young parents in disadvantaged communities, particularly parents in the child protection system or at risk of contact with the children protection system, including through providing life skills, housing, employment, transport, trauma and mental health.
58 TheCommittee recommends that accessing youth mental health residential services in the ACT should not be dependent on nominating an address.
59 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government fund evidence-based employment support programs for young people with mental illness.
60 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government acknowledge the diversity of needs in provision of mental health services for young people and ensure services are co-designed by young people, including ATSI young people, CALD young people (including international students), LGBTIQ+ young people and young people living with disabilities.
61 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government take a whole family approach to supporting children and young people at risk of poor mental health or showing symptoms of mental illness.
62 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government promote accessible and flexible evidence-based parenting support programs to parents and integrate these into whole-of-school approaches to mental health and wellbeing.
63 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government integrate wellbeing into the curriculum through evidence-based mental health programs and e-mental health, including cognitive behavioural therapy, that help students cope with stress and boost self-esteem, increasing mental health literacy and preventing bullying.
64 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government expand mental health awareness and education programs in ACT government schools.
65 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government makes Mental Health First Aid training available for young people and their parents/carers.
66 The Committee recommends that the ACT Government roll-out the mental health promotion program which is found to be most effective for 8-12 year olds as a matter of urgency, including to non-government schools.
