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Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service

We provide mental health support to children, adolescents and their families seen at Western Health in a consultation liaison capacity.

Key Points

We offer specialist mental health assessment and treatment for children, adolescents and their families

We provide consultation liaison services to Western Health in inpatient, outpatient and emergency department settings

What we do

The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service provides specialist mental health assessment and treatment for children, adolescents and their families. We provide a consultation-liaison psychiatry model for children, aged 0 to 17 years old, admitted to the JKWC, linked with a paediatrician at Western Health or who have presented to the paediatric emergency department (located at Sunshine Hospital).

Who can use our service?

Inpatient

  • Children who are medically admitted and there is a suspected comorbid mental illness
  • Children who are medically admitted as a result of a preexisting mental illness (e.g. suicide attempts, nutritional support due to disordered eating etc)
  • Children who experience mental health difficulties due to a physical illness (e.g. adjustment reactions)
  • Concerns related to parental attachment of admitted infants or when multiple risk factors for an attachment disorder are identified

Outpatient

  • Children who have been assessed on the paediatric ward, in Children's Specialist Outpatient Clinics and Adolescent Health Service and there are concerns of a comorbid mental illness

 

Where are we located?

The Perinatal Mental Health Service is based at Joan Kirner Hospital in St Albans. 

Referrals

The Service receives referrals from within Western Health. We do not accept external referrals.

In the case of a life threatening emergency, call 30020.
Emergency

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Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of all the lands and waterways on which Western Health staff, volunteers, consumers and caregivers come together. As we work, learn and grow, we pay our deep respects to the Elders and Traditional Custodians past, present and emerging of the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung, Boon Wurrung, Bunurong and Wadawurrung Countries of the greater Kulin Nation. We are committed to the healing of country, working towards equity in health outcomes, and the ongoing journey of reconciliation. Western Health is committed to respectfully listening and learning from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and we are truly guided by the values of relationship, responsibility and respect.