Canberra's children's hospital is grappling with more young people presenting due to suicide attempts and self-harm.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The alarming trend comes as the Centenary Women and Children's Hospital opens the territory's first ever public mental health inpatient beds for teenagers.
More young people are also presenting to hospital due to eating disorders and depression since the COVID-19 pandemic started, psychiatrist Dr Ilona DiBella said.
"During COVID, we found that although we had less CAMHS hospital presentations, there was a significant increase in admissions with suicide attempts and deliberate self-harm, depression and eating disorders," she said.
"Since COVID, we have also seen younger people aged 10 to 12 years now presenting with serious mental illness."
The ACT's first dedicated public ward for adolescent mental health patients opens on Wednesday.
Previously, people under 16 with acute mental health issues could be treated in a paediatric ward, while older teenagers could receive treatment at the adult mental health unit at Canberra Hospital or travel interstate.
The six mental health beds make up a larger adolescence unit, which also has eight medical beds. Two of those are flexible and could be used for mental health patients.
There was previously a 12-bed adolescent ward, which was refurbished, expanded to 14 and now includes the mental health beds.
Patients admitted to mental health beds may include those who have self-harmed, attempted suicide, have an eating disorder, are experiencing psychosis or an acute mental health episode. They may be admitted because they are at risk of harming themselves or others.
Patients will be aged 12 to 17, with a person's individual maturity and circumstance taken into account. Children under 12 can be treated within the paediatric ward.
The mental health section of the ward, which is only accessible with a pass, includes a sensory room and outdoor lounges.
The medical beds are for any short-term patients aged 12 to 16. There is a negative pressure room for infectious patients, and bariatric room designed for larger patients. It also has a gaming room.
Having the mental health and medical beds co-located allows for more holistic treatment, Canberra Health Services clinical director of paediatrics Dr Blessy Charles said.
"[A] child who is medically unstable is not suitable to be admitted into a mental health bed because they will need acute medical treatment. They may have overdosed or [done] something that needs active medical management, but the other team is just next door," she said.
READ MORE:
The new mental health service will provide more than just pills, a bed and white walls. There will be daily group meetings with patients and mindfulness activities, Dr DiBella said. Different groups will focus on mood management, social connections, anxiety and emotional regulation.
"All that talking work and learning work is an incredibly important part of the work we'll be doing on the unit, not a secondary part to [medication]," Dr DiBella said.
Other professionals providing support include a team of psychiatrists, an exercise, occupational and music therapist, and the hospital school staff.
After discharge, patients may be connected with the day program or other external services to continue getting better in the community.
The space and the unit are part of a major expansion of the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children. This expansion has faced lengthy delays and was supposed to be completed in the 2020-21 financial year.
Authorities have previously said the delays were due to changes in the scope of the expansion. The COVID pandemic had also contributed to delays in the expansion.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark canberratimes.com.au
- Download our app
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram