The impacts to our mental health and fitness have increasingly been of concern in our community and across the state and Australia, particularly with the added impacts of Covid on many facets of our life.

Further to our update in August last year (click here), following is additional information on the various services, facilities and activity in this region by State Government, as well upcoming inquiries for your input.

Inquiry into the Opportunities to Improve Mental health Outcomes for Queenslanders

On Thursday 2 December 2021, the Mental Health Select Committee was established to conduct an inquiry into the opportunities to improve mental health outcomes for Queenslanders and report back to the House by Tuesday 31 May 2022.  The committee called for submissions early in 2022 and are now considering the content of submissions. The committee will be holding public briefings and hearings for its inquiry into the opportunities to improve mental health outcomes for Queenslanders.  For more information, visit https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-Committees/Committees/Committee-Details?cid=226&id=4143

Queensland Health Services

Queensland Health provide mental health services across the state via local Hospital and Health Services (HHS).  Geographical areas are serviced by the relevant HHS and residents within each area can access state mental health services via the 1300 MH CALL triage service. The mental health service will then provide referral or treatment according to the Connecting Care to Recovery Plan emphasising right treatment, right place, right time.

The Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service, Mental Health and Specialised Services Team aim to work together to assist individuals with mental health and addiction illnesses to realise their optimal potential as individuals and as valued citizens of the community through facilitating access to a comprehensive, recovery-oriented mental health system that improves mental health for Queenslanders via:

  • Continued development and delivery of specialised mental health assessment, treatment and care within an integrated and evidenced-based service delivery framework that is consumer-focussed, accessible, responsive, and recovery-oriented for consumers and their families.
  • A service with well-established partnerships and collaborations with consumers and carers, other government, non-government and private providers in service planning and delivery, that is supported by sound clinical and operational governance processes that promote a continuous quality improvement, and supportive and learning environment for all staff.

Services can be accessed via community mental health referral or in-hospital referral and include:

  • Acute Mental health Inpatient units
  • addiction services
  • child and youth mental health services
  • consultant liaison psychiatry team
  • continuing care team
  • cultural health team
  • eating disorders service
  • Evolve Therapeutic Services – a specialist service within Queensland Health that supports children and young people in the care of the Department of Communities (Child Safety Services) who have extreme and complex emotional and behavioural problems as well as their support network
  • Gympie Community Mental Health team
  • Rehabilitation Services, and
  • community diversion programs.

The Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service, Mental Health and Specialised Services Team aim to work together to assist individuals with mental health and addiction illnesses to realise their optimal potential as individuals and as valued citizens of the community through facilitating access to a comprehensive, recovery-oriented mental health system that improves mental health for Queenslanders via:

  • Continued development and delivery of specialised mental health assessment, treatment and care within an integrated and evidenced-based service delivery framework that is consumer-focussed, accessible, responsive and recovery-oriented for consumers and their families.
  • A service with well-established partnerships and collaborations with consumers and carers, other government, non-government and private providers in service planning and delivery, that is supported by sound clinical and operational governance processes that promote a continuous quality improvement, and supportive and learning environment for all staff.

Services can be accessed via community mental health referral or in-hospital referral and include:

  • Acute Mental health Inpatient units
  • addiction services
  • child and youth mental health services
  • consultant liaison psychiatry team
  • continuing care team
  • cultural health team
  • eating disorders service
  • Evolve Therapeutic Services – a specialist service within Queensland Health that supports children and young people in the care of the Department of Communities (Child Safety Services) who have extreme and complex emotional and behavioural problems as well as their support network
  • Gympie Community Mental Health team
  • rehabilitation services, and
  • community diversion programs.

Other Services

In addition to the above, there are many private and community services and resources available, with links to some of these on our previous post (click here) and our important contacts.