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Adult Community Mental Health Services |
Adult mental health services are available to people aged 16 to 64 years who have, or are at risk of, serious mental illness and people who are at risk of suicide. If you have persisting mental health problems that are disrupting your life or causing you significant distress you can seek assistance either through your local doctor or by direct contact with the Adult Community Mental Health Service at Albury Wodonga Health - Wodonga Campus.
We provide community mental health services to adults who live in the City of Wodonga, Indigo Shire, Towong Shire and the Kiewa Valley. The Adult Community Mental Health Service at AWH - Wodonga Campus operates from 107 Hume Street Wodonga and 91 Hume Street Wodonga. Referrals can be made by calling into the office or telephoning our receptionist on (02) 60491500 You will be put you in touch with the triage worker, who is a qualified mental health professional. Referrals are accepted from a variety of sources, including GPs, local hospitals, general health and welfare agencies and concerned family members. Our Hume Street centre operates during business hours and an after hours service is available. All referrals are screened and a response will be arranged according to assessed urgency. Initial AssessmentThe triage worker will meet with you to talk about your mental health concerns and discuss with you what help you need immediately to deal with your problems. The triage worker will usually ask for your permission to contact other people such as your GP, your immediate family and other agencies that have been providing services to you. Sometimes there may be other services that may be more useful, such as a local doctor, counsellor or community agency. If so, the triage worker will assist you to access these services. The triage worker will let you know whether further contact with the mental health service is needed and will provide you with information about ongoing assessment, treatment and care. In circumstances where people are believed to be at a high level of risk, a risk management or safety plan will be implemented. All people who receive public mental health services will be registered as consumers and will have their rights explained. Assessment, Planning and ReviewOnce it is established that you can be assisted by the Adult Community Mental Health Service at AWH - Wodonga Campus, regular contact will be made with you and others involved in your care. The staff member who has major responsibility for working with you is called a case manager. Case managers are qualified and experienced mental health professionals, including psychiatric nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists and social workers. The case manager will coordinate your care and initially will work with you and other relevant people, to establish a clear picture of your health and personal situation. This comprehensive assessment will help to identify your long term needs and will assist the case manager to develop a plan that specifies what services will be of assistance to you. The case manager may involve other mental health services staff, such as a psychiatrist or doctor, to provide specialist assistance during the assessment, planning and review phases. The plan developed collaboratively between you and your case manager is called an Individual Service Plan (ISP). Your carer, significant family members or other service providers may also be involved in the development of this plan. The ISP is a written summary of what you are working towards (your goals) and how you are going to get there (strategies that will be used). This plan will guide ongoing treatment and care and will be reviewed at least every three months. The review, which occurs at a meeting of mental health services staff, will check whether the goals and strategies are working as intended, whether there are other more effective ways of meeting the goals and, if the goals have been met, whether you still need to use public mental health services. Treatment and CareYour treatment and care will be based on the decisions made collaboratively with your case manager and recorded in your Individual Service Plan (ISP). Treatment and care may include:
Treatment and care is often provided in conjunction with others, particularly GPs. Your case manager will talk to you about ongoing contact with your local doctor and other service providers. Inpatient TreatmentWherever possible, people are treated in the community, however, sometimes this is not possible and inpatient care is needed. Inpatient services for clients of the Adult Community Mental Health Service at AWH - Wodonga Campus are provided by Kerferd Unit at Wangaratta District Base Hospital. If you are admitted to an inpatient service your case manager will liaise with the inpatient service and will maintain contact with your family and/or carer. Finishing Your InvolvementUsually when the goals of public mental health service involvement are achieved, arrangements are made for GPs or other suitable professionals to provide any needed ongoing care. People can re-contact the Adult Community Mental Health Service at AWH - Wodonga Campus if they need help at some point in the future. Your RightsThe Adult Community Mental Health Service at AWH - Wodonga Campus has a range of obligations in relation to consumer and carer rights under the Mental Health Act 1986 and the National Standards for Mental Health Services. You have rights in relation to:
For involuntary patients under the Mental Health Act, specific rights and responsibility provisions apply. Further information is available from our staff. Have a Query or Concern?If you have a query, comment, complaint, or just wish to give us some feedback about the care or service provided, we encourage you to raise this immediately either personally or in writing. If you have a problem or issue you can contact: your case manager the Team Leader or Service Manager In addition, our Adult Mental Health Service Consumer Consultants are interested in hearing about your experiences and suggestions for improvement. This can happen through individual contact or a group meeting. Telephone and ask to speak to a Consumer Consultant. Contact DetailsThe Adult Community Mental Health Service at AWH - Wodonga Campus is funded by the Department of Human Services and incorporates: Adult Community Mental Health Service
107 Hume Street Benambra Rehabilitation Service NECAMHS
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URL: http://www.awh.org.au/services/mental/Adult.htm |
Benambra Rehabilitation Services brochure -How can we help? (100 KB)