Concerns about climate change and housing affordability are partly behind the increased demand for child and teenage mental health services, a minister says.
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ACT Mental Health Minister Emma Davidson opened a new office for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in Woden Town Centre on Thursday. It will start operating from Monday.
The $5 million project relocated existing services, and includes a parents room, art room and sensory room. It services young people aged up to 25 and expecting and new parents.
The high cost of living and after effects of COVID-19 are damaging young peoples' mental health, Ms Davidson said.
"Young people in our community have been having a really hard time," she said.
"Having a safe place to live, good family support, knowing that you can meet everyone's needs and feeling like the world is going to be a safer, better place, that will have a positive impact on people's mental well being.
"In the meantime though, if young people are feeling like they need some help, it's really important they know that it is worthwhile asking for that help."
Nearly two in five young Australians - aged 16 to 24 - surveyed from 2020 to 2022 had symptoms of a long-term mental health condition.
Expectant and new mothers' mental health was also declining as they struggle with the world they are bringing their children into, Ms Davidson said.
"When I listen to what new mothers ... they are worried about what the future holds for their child," she said.
"There are real worries about economic inequality and the cost-of-living crisis that they're experiencing.
"[As well as] social isolation and what they've been through over the last few years. It takes quite a while for those impacts to be dealt with."
There was high demand for the CAMHS service, Ms Davidson said.
"Demand is quite high for this service. We had around 5000 clients in 2022 and there is around 350 children and young people and new and expectant mums who are accessing the service at the moment," she said.
"Demand does go up and down a little bit but overall, the demand for therapeutic care for mental health conditions is increasing particularly for young people.
"It's really important that we have spaces that allow us to provide the best possible care."
There was no waiting list for the service, CAHMS South team manager Carrie Coghlan said.
"We use a client flow through process for young people that are accessing hands. There's a number of services within CAHMS that are able to support a young person through their journey through our different services, so we tend not to have a waitlist," she said.