Young people’s voices the key to improving youth mental health services: PDF
Health Consumers Queensland is advocating for increased involvement of young people and their parents/carers to improve mental health services for children and adolescents across Queensland.
“Sadly, there are too many stories like that of Murray Benton and his family who shared their situation on social media last weekend”, said Melissa Fox, CEO of Health Consumers Queensland.
“Families report profound challenges in helping their children find the care that they need, when they need it, from a health professional they trust, and in a location that is accessible to them”.
“Improving access to mental health services for young people is a high priority and needs to remain a key Queensland Government focus. It is an area of high need for support across the state, both at a strategic level and an operational level”.
“Input from young Queenslanders who use mental health services and their loved ones and carers is key to the development of better services”, she said.
Health Consumers Queensland has been a key partner in the Queensland Government project to deliver outcomes based on recommendations from the Commission of Inquiry into the closure of Barrett Adolescent Centre. The partnership has resulted in the inclusion of young people, carers and families at all levels of the project. The result so far has been an unprecedented approach to designing a new youth mental health facility, to be built at the Prince Charles Hospital, commencing later this year.
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For more information on this project, go to: https://www.hcq.org.au/our-work/barrett-inquiry/
Media contact: Melissa Fox, CEO, Health Consumers Queensland 0404 882 716