Infant, Child and Adolescent System Transformation Program

New Acute Care and Response Teams commenced in the Perth metropolitan area and in the Great Southern.
These mobile teams provide urgent, short-term support to children and young people (0-17 years) in their homes, clinic, or other community settings.

The Mental Health Capability Framework outlines the skills and capabilities of Aboriginal health, allied health, lived experience, medical and nursing professions working in the public mental health sector. Through comprehensive descriptions of each profession’s contributions, the Framework will help maximise the effectiveness of multi-disciplinary teams to deliver targeted, person-centred services.

The Framework also describes potential career pathways, supporting professional and career development planning for individuals and service managers.

It is anticipated to be released in mid-2025.

$47.4 million committed by the State Government to initiate reform of the ICA mental health system.

$46.6 million committed by State Government to continue implementation of the ICA Taskforce recommendations.

The Final Report of the Ministerial Taskforce into Public Mental Health Services for Infants, Children and Adolescents aged 0 – 18 years in Western Australia was released.

$35.5 million committed by State Government to begin the transformation of the ICA system.

A Community Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (ICAMHS) opened in the South West in April 2024.

It includes a multidisciplinary team to deliver integrated mental health care through face-to-face clinics, telehealth and community outreach, as well as providing access to specialist services for those with more complex needs.

In November 2024, the South West Community ICAMHS Hub was recognised as a finalist in the WA Health Excellence Awards for ‘Excellence in Mental Health’.

In assessing service performance, the priority is shifting from service activity outputs to the experience and outcomes of consumers. The Mental Health Commission is developing a person-centred, outcomes-focused approach to system evaluation, monitoring and reporting.

Embedded new mental health governance structures to oversee reform of the ICA system.

Provided regional health professionals with virtual support to assist them in responding to young people presenting with mental health concerns and provided follow-up care for regional young people and families following a mental health related emergency service presentations in March 2023.

Expanded Crisis Connect in March 2023 to support young people and their families to remain at home while waiting for an appointment with a CAMHS team, through a $19.5 million investment.

Digital Medical Records were rolled out across Perth Children’s Hospital in November 2023, as part of a statewide transition from paper based records to an Electronic Medical Record system.

Expanding the mental health workforce since July 2022. This included growing the Lived Experience (Peer), Aboriginal Mental Health Worker, medical, nursing, allied health, administration, and management workforces.

Resources were developed to help ensure safe and effective integration of Lived Experience (Peer) Workers across the sector.

In December 2022, the Aboriginal Mental Health Worker model was developed in to clarify roles, capabilities, and career pathways for Aboriginal Mental Health Workers working in public ICA services. Further work is underway to build on this foundational model.

To enable commencement of new and enhanced ICA services, staff received development opportunities. This includes education relating to vivacious trauma, infant mental health, and child development, and training in Dialectical Behavioural Therapy for Adolescents and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

In September 2024, $29.1 million was invested to establish a Crisis Care Unit (CCU) within Banksia Hill.

The eight-bed facility will provide dedicated support to young people experiencing mental health crises.

In July 2023, a specialist neurodevelopmental and mental health team was embedded into Banskia Hill Detention Centre to better support young people.

In February 2023, the Child and Adolescent Forensic Service commenced. This service supports clinicians working with young people exiting detention.

Treatment for young people with emerging personality disorder, mood, and anxiety disorders was enhanced. This was achieved by upskilling the Child and Adolescent Health Service mental health workforce. This included delivery of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and DBT-Adolescent Foundation and facilitator training, as well as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Additionally, staff who completed DBT-A facilitator training have commenced DBT-A groups in their Community CAMHS clinics.

In March 2024, the Child and Adolescent Health Service commenced an Acute Care and Response Team (ACRT) in Perth’s east.

Planning is underway to start for three more ACRT’s in January 2025 in the north and south metropolitan areas and the Great Southern.

‍

New models of care were developed in March 2023 to help guide service delivery into the future.

A Community Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (ICAMHS) opened in the South West in April 2024.

It includes a multidisciplinary team to deliver integrated mental health care through face-to-face clinics, telehealth and community outreach, as well as providing access to specialist services for those with more complex needs.

In November 2024, the South West Community ICAMHS Hub was recognised as a finalist in the WA Health Excellence Awards for ‘Excellence in Mental Health’.

A Head to Health Kids Hub is being established in Midland.   

This will increase early intervention and mental health support for young people.   

The service is expected to open in January 2025.

‍

In July 2021 more than $1 million was invested to support new perinatal pilot services. 

These services help to promote confidence and emotional wellbeing for new and experienced parents around the time of the birth of a new child.

‍

Young people, families and significant others are engaged in the design implementation of services. This engagement will be critical in the evaluation of services.

In December 2022, a service guarantee was developed to outline what all children, families, and carers should expect to experience in all interactions with the public ICA mental health system.

These principles have been incorporated into mechanisms used to monitor the performance of services.