Infant, Child and Adolescent System Transformation Program

The Final Report of the Ministerial Taskforce into Public Mental Health Services for Infants, Children and Adolescents aged 0 – 18 years in Western Australia (ICA Taskforce) was released in March 2022.

In the Final Report the ICA Taskforce proposed 8 key actions and 32 recommendations to transform the public infant, child and adolescent mental health system. Implementation of these recommendations is required to ensure that children and their families and carers can access equitable, timely and quality public mental health care.

The WA Government are committed to implementing all recommendations, which will see system-wide reform of infant, child and adolescent mental health services.

In 2022, the Infant, Child and Adolescent System Transformation Implementation Program (ICA Implementation Program) was launched to lead implementation of the required reforms.

Engagement with stakeholder throughout the reform process, particularly with people with Lived and Living Experience, will be essential to ensure the future system meets the needs of, and achieves meaningful outcomes for infants, children, adolescents and their families, carers and supporters.

Recognising that transformation will take several years to achieve, implementation will be phased over three horizons. This will be accompanied by change management resources to ensure a safe and structured transformation.

Horizon 1: Establishment

Focus:

  • establishing the core foundations for future ICA service system 
  • addressing some critical gaps in the current system

Horizon 2: Expansion

Focus:

  • increasing the scale of services implement in horizon 1 and commencing implementation of other services
  • increasing the capacity and capability of the ICA workforce

Horizon 3: Enhancement and embedment

Focus:

  • scaling up ICA services
  • completing implementation of physical and digital infrastructure changes required to support care and delivery
  • monitoring and evaluating services to identify opportunities for improvement

Progress update

To date, the ICA implementation Program has focused on implementing the immediate and short-term recommendations of the ICA Taskforce. This included:

  • Developing a suite of system principles and a Phased Implementation Plan, in consultation with stakeholders, to set the foundation for the future system.
  • Collaboratively designing twelve new and/or adapted models of care.
  • Expanding the front-line infant, child and adolescent mental health workforce in regional WA.
  • Enhancing the Lived Experience (Peer) Workforces, ensuring the appropriate resources are in place to safely embed Lived Experience (Peer) workers into mental health and alcohol and other drug services.
  • Enhancing crisis response for infants, children and adolescents, specifically;
    • Expanding Crisis Connect - an emergency telehealth service for metropolitan consumers and
    • Establishing a new virtual crisis intervention, and post-Emergency Department presentation follow up service for children in regional areas
  • Identifying actions required to develop a sustainable, supported infant, child and adolescent mental health workforce into the future.

On 27 April 2023 the State Government announced a $35.5 million commitment to Infant, Children and Adolescent (ICA) mental health services, as outlined below.

Community Infant Child and Adolescent Mental health Service pilot in Bunbury

Investment of $7.1 million will establish a hub consisting of a large, multidisciplinary team to provide local, consistent and integrated mental health care for children aged 0-17 years old.  The hub will provide culturally safe and responsive care, supporting Aboriginal children and families to access ongoing mental health care. The hub will be flexible in how supports are delivered, including face-to-face at local clinics, virtually via telehealth or via outreach in the community in an environment that is safe and appropriate for the child and family as well as clinicians.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service workforce uplift

Funding to the value of $6.4million has been allocated to continue the previously funded uplift to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service front-line workforce.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Acute Care Response Team pilot in Perth

Investment of $3.6million will establish an Acute Care Response Team in the east metropolitan area of Perth. The mobile and virtual teams will provide support to children and adolescents up to the age of 17, as well as their families and carers, who are experiencing a mental health crisis, or require more intensive support than available in a community-based ICA mental health service. They will provide a strong connection between Emergency Departments and community services.

Expansion of the Touchstone service to provide specialised care to children and adolescents with personality disorder related needs

Investment of $4.8 million will allow for an expansion and redesign of the existing Touchstone Service, which provides intensive community treatment to children (aged 12-17) with complex personality disorder related needs. With this expansion, Touchstone will expand its reach by providing expert advice and supervision to community infant, child and adolescent mental health service (ICAMHS) teams to build their capacity to support children with personality disorder related needs.

Aboriginal Mental Health workforce uplift

Funding to the value of $5.8 million for additional Aboriginal Mental Health Workers to support Aboriginal children and families to access and engage with ICA mental health services.

Reconfiguration of Perth Children’s Hospital Mental Health Inpatient Unit

A total of $7.7 million has been allocated to the Department of Health for the reconfiguration of Perth Children’s Hospital Mental Health Inpatient Unit (Ward 5A), which provides multidisciplinary, recovery-focused care to children aged 15 and younger with complex and acute mental health issues.  

Background

Read more about the Ministerial Taskforce into Public Mental Health Services for Infants, Children and Adolescents aged 0-18 years in Western Australia (ICA Taskforce).

Contact us

For further information about this project, please email ica.implementation@mhc.wa.gov.au

To subscribe to updates on the ICA implementation, please email us

To be kept in the loop about engagement opportunities at the Mental Health Commission, register your interest with Stakeholder Connect

 

 

Last updated 9 August 2023

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