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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 10 Hansard (25 September) . . Page.. 3294 ..

MRS LITTLEWOOD (continuing):

An increase of ... $150,000 a year in funding for mental health projects via Healthpact, the ACT's independent health promotion agency set up by the government.

Independent accreditation of all public mental health services in the ACT, the only state or Territory to achieve this.

Expansion of the Mental Health Crisis Team which has resulted in a vast improvement in levels of service and responsiveness. A total of eight new positions have been created to enable the team to broaden its role to include treatment as well as assessment in the community. The 22 member team now operates a 24 hour 1-800 contact number and has introduced a new triage service, and computerised tracking system to more quickly respond to clients.

The creation of an intensive care management team operating out of the Accident and Emergency Department and the Psychiatric Ward at The Canberra Hospital. Two extra specialist nurses have been employed to provide better treatment and discharge planning for clients who present at A and E.

Re-establishment of the position of liaison psychiatrist at The Canberra Hospital to ensure all patients, particularly those in the geriatric ward, can access this service.

The establishment of a specialist mental health nursing position at the Belconnen Remand Centre.

Ongoing funding to help establish the Warren I'Anson Memorial Respite House, which is managed by the Mental Health Foundation.

Approval for the construction of a new, $2.5 million, 20-bed private psychiatric facility, Hyson Green, by Calvary Hospital, the first private unit to open in Canberra. This will expand the number of acute beds in the ACT by 30 per cent.

Additional, one-off funding to provide respite care for children with mental health problems or for children whose parents have mental illnesses.

New memoranda of understanding between the ACT Mental Health Service, the Australian Federal Police, and ACT Housing to improve the co-ordination of responses and services.

Establishment of a new Management Assessment Panel to better assist in meeting the needs of people with complex cases.

Production of the first ever annual report specifically about mental health services in Canberra.

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