Child and Youth Mental Health
The Mackay Child and Youth Mental Health Service (CYMHS) provides assistance to children and youth under the age of 18 years by developing and coordinating a range of early identification, assessment, treatment and support plans for children and young people who present with emotional and behavioural disturbances and/or emerging mental health issues. Child and Youth services work in partnership with a range of education, community health and child support agencies in providing early intervention strategies and to help prevent the development of ongoing mental health needs. This team also includes two eVoLVe positions which provide services to children in long term foster care, and who have difficult behavioural problems.
The service provides a range of programs which are constantly under review including:
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Assessment and diagnosis
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Design and implementation of individualised behaviour management programs
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Family therapy
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Individualised counselling
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Case management of serious emotional disturbance
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Medical and psychiatric review
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Community education and self help programs
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Crisis intervention
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School and community liaison
Community Child and Youth Team
The specialised areas within our Child and Youth team are:
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Case Management - Child and Youth staff provide clinical case management to children and adolescence accepted for treatment with the service. Clinical case management and includes psychotherapy, counselling; psycho-eduction and support to clients and their families.
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Intake and Assessment - There is one Child and Youth worker on intake during business hours. After hours and on weekends, Child and Youth intakes are managed through the Adult After-Hours intake system.
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Indigenous Liaison Officer Services. The Indigenous Liaison Services provide the Indigenous and Australian South Sea Islander Community with information and training about child and youth mental health disorders and treatment, work towards improving access to mental health services for indigenous children and youth and provide support services to clients and their families.
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Medical Clinic. Child and Youth clients may access medical services either through the visiting Child Psychiatrist or other medical officers of the Mental Health Service.
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Forensic Child and Youth Services. This service has one full time forensic worker for child and adolescent clients. The position has responsibilities district wide including consultation liaison and education to key stakeholders providing services to young people at risk of becoming involved in the juvenile justice system and may also have a mental illness or severe behavioural disturbance. The position has a coordinating responsibility to ensure that services are provided to young people at Juvenile Justice, Children’s Court and Child Safety.
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Evolve Therapeutic Services have been developed by Evolve Interagency Services to promote and enhance mental health, provide behaviour support and participation in education for children and young people in the care of the Department of Child Safety (DChS). This is managed through a coordinated partnership between the Department of Child Safety, Queensland Health, Disability Services Queensland, the Department of Education, Training and the Arts, and other key government, non-government and private sector providers. This service is in direct response to a recommendation from the January 2004 Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) Report, “Protecting Children: An Inquiry into the Abuse of Children in Foster Care”.
The Mackay Evolve team employs two full time staff who provide intensive services to children within the Mackay District who are in the care of the Department of Child Safety.
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