Mental Health Supports or Information:
Phone 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) for 24 hour assessment, referral, advice, and hospital and community health centre contact details.
https://www.qld.gov.au/health/mental-health/help-lines/services/index.html
Talk to your doctor (GP) about your concerns and ask for an assessment or referral. Some doctors have additional training and expertise in mental health.
Specialist Supports – Hospital-based supports in Brisbane:
Acute Care Team – provides assessment and acute treatment services.
Homeless Health Outreach Team (HHOT) provides health responses – mental health, general health, alcohol and drug issues for homeless people living 5km within GPO. In Brisbane only.
Community Mental Health Teams – North & south Brisbane.
Resource team – specialist supports
Residential & Rehabilitation supports
Websites – Brisbane North & south.
https://www.health.qld.gov.au/rbwh/services/mh-services.asp
http://metrosouth.health.qld.gov.au/mental-health/services
Check hospitals in your area for available mental health services.
Specialist Supports – Community
General Practitioners or Local Doctors
Medicare rebates – Better Access or ATAPS – are available for a range of mental health treatments, including up to 10 individual consultations and up to 10 group therapy sessions with a mental health professional. You’ll need a referral from a general practitioner, psychiatrist or pediatrician to be eligible.
Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the MBS (Better Access) initiative. Go through GPs. Available at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-ba
ATAPS Access to Allied Psychological Services – Go through GPs. Available at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-boimhc-ataps
ATAPS enables GPs to refer consumers to ATAPS mental health professionals who deliver focussed psychological strategies services. ATAPS mental health professionals include psychologists, social workers, mental health nurses, occupational therapists and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers with specific mental health qualifications. Through ATAPS, patients are eligible for a maximum of 12 sessions per calendar year – six time-limited sessions with an option for a further six sessions following a mental health review by the referring GP.
Queensland Community Care Services
Contact Ph: 1800 600 300 to find out what services operate in you area.
If you are under 65, or an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person aged under 50. If you need help to stay living at home and in your community, you may be eligible for assistance from Community Care. This provides basic support (usually one to five hours per week) to people with a disability or condition that restricts their day-to-day living.
Types of services available include: In-home services
- domestic assistance, such as cleaning, washing and ironing
- personal care, including bathing, showering, dressing, and toileting
- home maintenance, including changing light bulbs, fixing leaks and lawn mowing
- home modifications, like access ramps or bathroom equipment
- meals and other food services, including provision of meals, help with food shopping and food preparation
Community-based services
- centre-based group activities, including excursions, tours and classes
- social support, including help from a support worker to attend appointments, or do shopping or banking
- transport, for help getting to shopping, appointments, or community activities
Clinical services
- nursing services, including help with medications and wound care
- allied health services, for example podiatry, physiotherapy, or advice from a dietitian, Respite, counselling and carer support services
- counselling support and advocacy, for you or your carer
- in-home or centre-based respite to support carers in their caring role
Ph: (07) 3068 1111
The Child and Youth Mental Health Service (CYMHS) at Children’s Health Queensland specialises in helping infants, children and young people up to the age of 18 years who have complex mental health needs. CYMHS works collaboratively and in a recovery-oriented way with infants, children and young people and their families. This means we recognise and help build on individual and family strengths for better health and wellbeing. By working together, we support children, young people and families to get back on track to reach their optimal mental health. CYMHS has a number of teams across the Greater Brisbane and Pine Rivers regions. We serve our local communities, and we outreach across Queensland through some of our specialist programs. We provide community and hospital based services, outreach and telepsychiatry programs, early intervention, forensic and other specialty services.
Partners in Recovery (till 2018).
Further Information available at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-pir-about
PIR aims to better support people with severe and persistent mental illness with complex needs and their carers and families, by getting multiple sectors, services and supports they may come into contact with (and could benefit from) to work in a more collaborative, coordinated, and integrated way. Through system collaboration, PIR promotes collective ownership and encourages innovative solutions to ensure effective and timely access to the services and supports required by people with severe and persistent mental illness with complex needs to sustain optimal health and wellbeing. Contact number depends on local community organisation who runs the program – Website will have this information. They are also assisting people to transition onto NDIS if they are eligible.
The Personal Helpers and Mentors (PHaMs) service – aims to provide increased opportunities for recovery for people whose lives are severely affected by mental illness by taking a strengths-based, recovery approach. It assists people aged 16 years and over whose ability to manage their daily activities and to live independently in the community is impacted because of a severe mental illness. PHaMs provides increased opportunities for recovery for people aged 16 years and over by providing practical assistance to people with severe mental illness to help them achieve their personal goals, develop better relationships with family and friends, and manage everyday tasks. One-to-one and ongoing support ensures the individual needs of the PHaMs participants can be addressed by participating economically and socially in community, and increasing opportunities for recovery.
A Place to Belong: is a Brisbane-based program working to build inclusive connected communities that welcome, respect and include others especially those who experience mental health challenges. It provides support through a focus on recovery, developing skill and making networks. Contact details are:
- Telephone: (07) 3217 2522
- E-mail: info@aplacetobelong.org.au
- or https://www.facebook.com/aplacetobelongbrisbane/
You can click here to find out more.
Qld Centre for Intellectual and Developmental Disability – QCIDD was established in 1997 in response to the poor health and healthcare of adults with intellectual disability in Queensland. QCIDD supports people with intellectual disability. It does this through research, teaching and clinical activities.
Ph: 07 3163 2412
Clinic information: QCIDD provides clinical services at no cost to Queensland adults with intellectual or developmental disability who are 17 years and older – http://www.som.uq.edu.au/research/research-centres/queensland-centre-for-intellectual-and-developmental-disability/clinic.aspxABLE101x
Other Resources available at: https://www.som.uq.edu.au/research/research-centres/queensland-centre-for-intellectual-and-developmental-disability/resources.aspx
The Comprehensive Health Assessment Program (CHAP) is licensed and implemented by most state governments. This research work led to the establishment of Medicare items to support GPs to perform annual health checks and changed health policy, in Australia and overseas. Available at:
https://www.som.uq.edu.au/media/217592/CHAP%202010%20brochure.pdf
Advocacy Skills Kit, or ASK Diary, which has been shown to improve health advocacy.
Telephone Counselling Services
Lifeline http://www.lifeline.org.au/; Phone Counselling services for anyone at anytime;
Phone 13 11 14
Kids Helpline – http://www.kidshelp.com.au/; Telephone and online counselling for young people aged 12-25; Phone 1800 551 800
Suicide Call Back Service (SCBS) T: 1300 659 467
The SCBS is a 24-hour, nationwide service that provides telephone counselling to people 18 years and over who are feeling suicidal, caring for someone who is suicidal, or bereaved by suicide.
SANE helpline – http://www.sane.org/helpline; Information, advice and referral for mental illness.
Phone 1800 187 263
beyondblue – Information and referral for depression and anxiety; Phone 1300 224 636
Counselling for Drug and Alcohol use Ph: 1800 888 236 or www.counsellingonline.org.au
Parentline – Support, counselling and education for parents.
Phone 1300 301 300
Gay and Lesbian Welfare Association – Peer counselling service for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and their families and friends; Phone 1800 184 527 (7pm to 10pm)
Harmony Place – Mental health services for culturally and linguistically diverse people and communities; Phone (07) 3848 1600
Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service – Counselling and group programs for Australian veterans, peacekeepers and their families; Phone 1800 011 046
ARAFMI – Support for family, friends and carers of people with mental illness; Phone (07) 3254 1881 Toll Free: 1800 35 1881 (Regional Qld)
Men’s Line – Telephone and online support, information and referral service to help men with relationship and other problems; Phone 1300 789 978
Mental Health Association of Queensland – Access to support, information and referral to mental health-related services in your area, 9am to 7pm Monday to Friday. Phone 1300 729 686
MiNetworks – Connects you to an experienced mental health worker to find information and support.
Phone 1800 985 944.
Online Treatment Options
OnTrack (https://www.ontrack.org.au/web/ontrack ) is a free online treatment program that helps you self manage your recovery from depression. It focuses on practical things you can do to make things better and helps you to set goals.
MoodGYM ( https://www.moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome ) is an innovative, interactive web program designed to prevent depression. It consists of 5 modules, an interactive game, anxiety and depression assessments, downloadable relaxation audio, a workbook and feedback assessment.
The Mental Health Association of Queensland – offers free online support services with a registered psychologist or social worker, accessed via online video chat.
Support Groups
Self Help Queensland -http://www.selfhelpqld.org.au/; they can help you find a support group in your area; Phone (07) 3344 6919 or email info@selfhelpqld.org.au.
The Mental Health Association of Queensland has a list of support groups operating in the Brisbane and Gold Coast region.
Other Mental Health Organisations:
Black Dog Institute combines expertise in clinical management with research to develop new, and more effective, strategies for people living with mood disorders.
Headspace provides mental and health wellbeing support, information and services to young people aged 12 to 25 years and their families. Headspace – Youth Mental Health – http://headspace.org.au/
Mental Health Australia is the peak non-government body established to represent the mental health sector and advise on mental health in Australia.
Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia has member organisations across the whole of Australia, with nearly 80 ‘front doors’ where people affected by mental illness and their loved ones are guaranteed support, information and links to on-going assistance.
Online Training Options & Resources include:
WWILD – wwildtraining.org.au – Introduction to Intellectual Disability; Responding to Disclosure of Sexual Violence; Supporting Recovery from Trauma
Through my Eyes—Intellectual Disability Healthcare around the World— https://www.edx.org/course/through-eyes-intellectual-disability-uqx-able101x
ABLE201x Well and Able—Improving the Physical Health of People with Intellectual Disability
— https://www.edx.org/course/well-able-improving-physical-health-uqx-able201x
ABLE301x Able-Minded—Mental Health and People with Intellectual Disability—
https://www.edx.org/course/able-minded-mental-health-people-uqx-able301x
QCIDD’s YouTube channel— https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChCUpCHdvnHqAf8SBOuV_tA
Free online course for support workers about being a great health advocate for people with disability— http://www.ndsqldprojects.net/good-health-and-wellbeing.htm.
Intellectual Disability Mental Health First Aid Manual
By Kitchener BA, Jorm AF, Kelly CM, Pappas, R, Frize, M. 2nd ed. Melbourne: Orygen Youth Health Research Centre; 2010 [online] Accessed 28/06/2011 This is a supplement to the 2nd Edition Standard Mental Health First Aid Manual. It is a resource for people supporting adults with intellectual disability who are experiencing an emerging mental health problem or mental health crisis.
www.mhfa.com.au/cms/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/2nd_edition_id_manual_dec10.pdf
Mental Health Resources – Assessment Tools:
These are useful to have completed and take with you when you seek clinical/medical support for the person with intellectual disability. They provide some evidence for the need for a psychiatric assessment and treatment.
Depression in Adults with an Intellectual Disability Checklist for Carers or Supporters
http://www.cddh.monashhealth.org/
This is a checklist completed by carers, in particular paid support staff, on behalf of adults who are unable to report their own feelings or symptoms because of severe communication impairment. It provides carers with information that is needed by a medical practitioner to decide if an adult with an intellectual disability may be depressed or suffering from a related mental health problem or need referral to a mental health specialist or practitioner. Conditions of use and a request form for the checklist can be found at Centre for Developmental Disabilities Health Victoria.
The PASS ADD system – is a set of assessment tools for undertaking mental health assessments with people with learning disabilities. It is designed to provide a smooth, reliable flow of information to provide a smooth, reliable flow of information on psychiatric symptoms from all those involved in an individual’s care, including family members, support staff and care staff.
http://www.pas-add.com/about/rationale/
They are also available in digital form at www.pasadd.online<http://www.pasadd.online>. The digital PAS-ADD will run on PCs, iMacs, iPads and Android devices.
Reiss Screen – screens for mental health problems (dual diagnosis) in persons with intellectual disability by interviewing carers, teachers, work, supervisors, or parents.