General
Mental health system in ‘crisis’ as youth referrals jump by 50 per cent in five years
Western Australia’s youth mental health system is in “crisis” and Perth teenager Emma* is just one of many suffering as a result, according to WA’s Chief Mental Health Advocate.
Key points:
- Young people are waiting up to 13 weeks for a mental health assessment
- WA’s Chief Mental Health Advocate says it’s an unacceptable situation
- Authorities say they aim to see the most at-risk cases within two days
When 17-year-old Emma went to her GP on October 21 to get a referral to WA’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), she was told the next available appointment for just an initial assessment was December 29.
Less than a week later, Emma had seriously self-harmed and was taken to Rockingham Hospital’s emergency department, where she…
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