Acute Care Response Team launches in the South West
Clinical Nurse Specialist Simon Cutler explains the benefits of the Acute Care Response team to Minister for Mental Health Meredith Hammat and Member for Collie-Preston Jodie Hanns, alongside Paul Blakey, Dr Steven Blefari and members of the ACRT.
Infant, child and adolescent mental health services in the South West have been expanded with the establishment of a mobile Acute Care Response Team (ACRT).
The ACRT provides a rapid mobile response and support to children and young people up to 18 years old experiencing a mental health crisis, as well as support for their families and carers in the community.
The service will also provide additional support for children and young people experiencing on-going mental health conditions who require more frequent engagement with services.
The service builds upon the existing South West Infant Child Adolescent Mental Health Services Hub and will work in partnership with local health and community services to provide a co-ordinated response that best meets the needs of young people and their families.
The service was developed as a new model of care in response to recommendations of the Infant, Child and Adolescent System Transformation Program to deliver safe, intensive and community-based crisis support for children and young people, enabling access to care where and when it is needed.
Families and young people can access the ACRT through multiple pathways, including self-referral through the South West ICAMHS Hub by calling 9722 4300 or emailing WACHS-SW.CAMHSAdmin@health.wa.gov.au