Priority Area – Child and youth mental health services

This activity will enable the Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN to target the development and delivery of services for children and young people with, or at risk of, severe mental illness.

This includes supporting the establishment of linkages in the region with key stakeholders and organisations to support integration around children and young people’s mental health. State and territory mental health services, community services and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)providers will be included to support the needs of children and young people with severe and complex mental illness.

This activity enables Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN to commission service providers who risk manage referral options. This wil ensure children and young people with severe mental illness, who cannot be appropriately managed in the primary care setting, are supported to access suitable services. These may include specialist community and inpatient mental health services managed by Hospital and Health Services (HHS) operating in the region.

This will be reinforced and embedded through the regional suicide prevention plan and a coordination of care service model. GPs and other health professionals will be encouraged to consider holistic health interventions for young people with severe mental illness. The aim is to ensure ensuring referral pathways are in place to enable and support seamless transition between services as needs change.