Great Southern mental health services
On this page:
- About us
- Our locations
- Your rights and responsibilities
- Have your say
- Involving consumers and carers
- Useful websites
About us
The Great Southern Mental Health Service is a specialist service that provides mental health assessment, treatment and care for consumers in the Great Southern region.
Our service is comprised of children’s, adult and older adult teams, located in Albany and Katanning. Services can be delivered on both an inpatient and outpatient (community) basis.
The teams consist of a range of health professionals including doctors, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, clinical psychologist and peer support workers.
The service accepts self-referrals by phone, or in person. Referrals are also accepted from GPs, other health professionals and community managed organisations. Transfer of care are accepted from specialist mental health services outside the region.
Acute Psychiatric Unit
The Acute Psychiatric Unit (APU) is a 16-bed inpatient facility, located at Albany Health Campus. The APU provides a therapeutic environment, with access to recovery-orientated services.
Assessment Treatment Team
The regional Assessment Treatment Team (ATT) is the first point of contact for adults (aged 18 to 65 years) who require specialist mental health assessment and care. The team provides short-term treatment (for periods of six weeks or less). At the conclusion of treatment, consumers are referred to supports which assist them to maintain their independence in the community.
Clinical Treatment Team
The Albany and Katanning Clinical Treatment Teams (CTT) assist consumers who require longer-term treatment and care coordination. All new referrals to the CTT come via the ATT. The CTT works with consumers to manage their mental health, set goals and focus on recovery.
Mental Health Liaison Nurse
The Great Southern Mental Health Service provide a consultation and liaison service to hospitals within the Great Southern region. The Mental Health Liaison Nurse (MHLN) provides:
- Specialist advice and assistance with the care of clients with complex and urgent mental heath hospital admissions.
- Support to hospital staff to provide high quality care to patients with a mental health condition.
- Timely access to assessment and treatment for hospital patients experiencing mental health problems.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health
The regional Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) team offers specialised assessment, treatment and support to children, young people (aged 0-18 years) and their families who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health problems. Clinicians use a family/carer centred approach.
Older Adult Mental Health
The regional Older Adult Mental Health (OAMH) team provides outpatient assessment and recovery focused treatment for clients aged 65+ (55+years for Aboriginal clients) living in the community or residential care. This team liaises closely with other services such as GP’s and nursing homes.
State-Wide Specialist Aboriginal Mental Health Service
The State-Wide Specialist Aboriginal Mental Health Service (SSAMHS) aims to draw together cultural and clinical expertise in order to support the social, emotional well-being and recovery of Aboriginal people experiencing mental health issues in the Great Southern. Aboriginal Mental Health Workers are an integral part of the multidisciplinary team. They work to support culturally competent practice by:
- Co-working with ATT clinicians, from first point of contact, to ensure culturally secure assessment and treatment planning.
- Co-working with CTT clinicians, as secondary case managers, to facilitate timely engagement with the service and review ongoing treatment and care.
Peer Support Workers
Peer Support Workers are currently employed in the Lower Great Southern Community Mental Health Service and the Acute Psychiatric Unit, located at the Albany Health Campus.
Peer Support Workers are people who have lived experience either as a carer of someone close or with their own mental health issues and recovery journey. They work alongside your treating team to provide you with added support and encouragement on your own journey to wellness.
GP Psychiatry Phone Line Great Southern
In partnership with the Primary Health Network, the Great Southern Mental Health Service is providing General Practitioners with a 0830-1800hours phone access to a psychiatrist for timely, easy, free, evidence-based advice and support in managing persons presenting to Great Southern region primary care with mental health problems. This service will ensure that people with mental health issues can be cared for by their GP and other primary care providers, being supported to receive treatment and to live in the community without requiring referral to specialist mental health services (GSMHS).
Our locations
Albany Community Mental Health |
Acute Psychiatric Unit |
Katanning Community Mental Health |
| Location: Ground Floor, Albany Health Campus, Hardie Road, Albany WA 6330 | Location: Ground Floor, Albany Health Campus, Hardie Road, Albany WA 6330 |
Location: Katanning Hospital, 11-31 Kobeelya Avenue, Katanning WA 6317 |
| Hours: 8:30am – 4:30pm weekdays (excluding public holidays) | Hours: 24 hours/day, 7 days/week (including public holidays) |
Hours: 8:30am – 4:30pm weekdays, excluding public holidays |
| Postal: PO Box 252 Albany WA 6331 | Visiting hours: 8am - 1pm then 3pm - 8pm |
Phone: (08) 9821 6341 |
| Phone: (08) 9892 2440 | Phone: (08) 9892 2525 |
Email: kt.mentalhealth@health.wa.gov.au |
| Email: gs.cmh@health.wa.gov.au |
Your rights and responsibilities
- Charter of Mental Health Rights (external website, PDF 871kb)
- Charter of Health Care Rights (external website)
Have your say
In person
- Talk to the staff caring for you
- Ask to speak to a senior staff member or our service manager
- Ask to speak with an Aboriginal Mental Health Worker
- You may wish to complete a Consumer Feedback Form in person or on-line via Consumer Feedback Form.
Send an email to Regional Mental Health Manager.
- Tell us what happened, where and when with dates and times if possible.
- Include information on who was involved.
- Let us know what you would like to see happen as a result of your feedback.
- Please include your contact details if you would like someone to contact you.
Online
You can publicly and anonymously share your story about your experience with WA Country Health Services via the Care Opinion website.
The website allows you to tell us what is important to you and we can show how we are listening and responding to patients, their carers and families to improve.
Phone or mail
Regional Director WACHS Great Southern
PO Box 252
Albany WA 6331
Email: gs.ces@health.wa.gov.au
Telephone: +61 8 9892 2678
Resolving complaints
The Health and Disability Service Complaints Office (HaDSCO) is an independent Statutory Authority providing an impartial complaints resolution service for complaints about health, disability and mental health services.
Phone: (08) 6551 7600
Free call: 1800 813 583
The Mental Health Tribunal safeguards the rights of involuntary patients in Western Australia.
Phone: (08) 6553 0060
Involving consumers and carers
The Great Southern Mental Health Service is committed to involving consumers and carers in service design, planning, delivery and evaluation. The Great Southern Mental Health Service Consumer and Carer Advisory Group (the CCAG) is a diverse group of consumers and carers with lived experience of mental health issues who work in partnership with the Great Southern Mental Health Service to improve mental health services for the Great Southern community.
The CCAG ensures the consumer and carer voice is heard, acknowledged and valued in the design, development and delivery of mental health services. The CCAG is committed to reducing the stigma and discrimination associated with mental health issues.
To contact the CCAG staff support person, please phone (08) 9892 2440 or email gs.cmh@health.wa.gov.au