Young people who face severe mental illness will have better access to bolstered support services under new treatment models set to be trialled in Canberra.
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Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley announced the ACT's Capital Health Network would be one of ten primary health networks across the country to trial innovative approaches in mental health services.
The new approach would benefit youth who were at risk of developing a severe mental illness and mean they would be able to access new evidence-based multidisciplinary specialist services that would be overseen by the Capital Health Network.
Network chief executive Gaylene Coulton said the services that would be developed would be an opportunity to improve mental health care to meet the needs of vulnerable people in the ACT.
"Severe mental illness can cause serious disruption to development and life," she said.
"We know that if we can provide early intervention to young people who are at risk of developing severe mental illness we can reduce the likelihood or severity of future episodes.
She said the network would co-develop new service models to ensure young people could access the support they needed.
"For example, if a 15-year-old with an eating disorder was referred by their GP into an early intervention service focused on treating mild symptoms of a mental health condition, they could be stepped up into a more intensive service providing wraparound specialist care to meet their specific needs.
"This may include psychological interventions and input from a dietitian and paediatrician."
Ms Coulton said the network had a critical role in the federal government's mental health system reforms and was the key regional facilitator for planning primary mental health programs, funding services and developing integrated care pathways.
