ATAPS - Child and Adolescent (C&A)
Overview
The overall aim of the C&A is to increase both the accessability and quality of mental health care available to youth and their families in the Central West. Once referred, children and adolescents will be able to attend six one-hour individual or family sessions without charge but may be entitled uo to a maximum of twelve sessions altogether.
Services Provided Under C&A
The sessions with the service provider will include one or more Focussed Psychological Strategies (FPS) and are defined as being evidence based psychological treatments. FPS can include:
- Psycho-education
- Cognitive behavioural strategies
- Motivational interviewing
- Narative therapy
- Interpersonal therapy
- Family therapy
Referral Criteria
All referrals to a Division C&A psychologist must be made by a GP in writing using the appropriate GP Mental Health Treatment Plan (2702/2710). All referrals into ATAPS C&A must meet strict criteria of being between the ages of 2 to 18 years and living within the boundaries of the Central West Division.
Examples of appropriate referrals:
- Patients with mild to moderate depression, generalised anxiety, bereavement and sleep problems
- Patients presenting with anxiety problems e.g.panic disorder, phobias
The above disorders only represent a small number of symptoms that patients could present with. For a more comprehensive criteria contact the Division.
Examples of unsuitable referrals:
- Urgent crisis referrals such as actively suicidal patients or those suffering psychotic episodes
- Any patient requiring hospitalisation
- Patients who require on-going case management of chronic mental health problems or developmental disabilities
- Patients who can be seen under other more suitable arrangements such as privately billing psychologists or third party paid services
Review
The review (2712) is a key component for assessing and manageing the patients progress once a GP Mental Health Care Plan has been prepared, along with on-going management through the GP Mental Health Consultation item and/or standard consultation items. A patients' GP mental Health Care Plan should be reviewed art least once.