Ministerial Taskforce into Public Mental Health Services for Infants, Children & Adolescents

The independent Ministerial Taskforce into Public Mental Health Services for Infants, Children and Adolescents  aged 0-18 years in Western Australia (ICA Taskforce) was created in response to the tragic death of 13-year-old Kate Savage in 2020.

The ICA Taskforce was charged with investigating the pressures and demands on the state’s mental health system and reporting to Government on how to ensure children receive the treatment and care they need, when they need it.
The final report was handed down in March this year, identifying eight key actions with 32 recommendations.  Members of the Taskforce acknowledged that services need to be better integrated for a cohesive system to operate at optimal levels.

Key actions three and four describe what we are currently delivering at the Peel Health Hub – primarily collaborative services under a unique model of care.  And it goes on to say that this kind of service integration is needed state-wide.

Both the Peel Health Hub and proposed Bunbury Health Hub speak to the vision of an integrated system where children & families have timely, enduring and equal access to quality care.  The 0-18 population and demand from this demography has increased significantly in the past few years, however, funding has not kept up with the demand. 

As needs go unmet, the demand continues as the individual get older creating a vicious cycle of need and unmet demand.  The report has highlighted the Peel Health Hub as a case study (p98) of an effective model of care taking the ‘no wrong door’ approach, which is currently lacking.

GP down south has demonstrated the success of a collaborative Model of Care and looks forward to working with the Mental Health Commission and state Government to keep delivering innovative services which support the needs of the community. 

The State Government has committed to implementing all 32 recommendations.  We welcome this state-wide reform and look forward to the increased service efficiency it can deliver.

You can read the full report here. 
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