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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 1 Hansard (18 February) . . Page.. 346 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

for improved education and training in youth suicide prevention for health professionals and allied staff. This training will increase the skill levels of persons operating in the front line, such as school counsellors, youth workers, correction officers, general practitioners and allied professionals. Hopefully, that will provide for early intervention and better outcomes for our young people. The strategy is the first of its kind for the ACT and it does provide for a coordinated approach to youth suicide prevention. It does provide a tool against which government and community performance in reducing the incidence of suicide can be measured.

This Government has committed additional resources to ACT Mental Health Services for improved child and adolescent mental health services as a result of increasing demand for these services. Mr Moore on occasions has mentioned what we have done there in terms of additional resources. Those additional resources will improve community-based child and adolescent mental health services. They will enable early intervention and better long-term outcomes for clients.

The Government is currently exploring the establishment of clubhouse-like services for the ACT. Services to be provided include vocational rehabilitation, drop-in centres, and information and referral services. These services are consumer centred. They should reduce the anxiety levels of those wishing to receive those services. The services will be provided in an informal and relaxed setting, without a hospital or health facility feel about where they are being provided. They will be particularly attractive to young persons who generally are wary of approaching services provided in the more institutional settings.

A number of our young people suffer from mental illness together with substance abuse problems. The Government is concerned that persons presenting with these dual diagnoses might not be receiving effective treatment. Such people are often placed in the too-hard basket. The Government has provided funding to establish the level of need of effective dual diagnosis services in the ACT and to recommend an appropriate model of service. The project report will be completed, I understand, by the end of this year.

We are also participating in the national stocktake of youth suicide prevention activities. That will provide valuable information on the number of services offering youth suicide prevention activities and the types of interventions, as well as highlighting any service gaps in the ACT. That will allow for the identification of best practice for application across the nation. The whole-of-Territory mental health strategic plan was released by the Government last October. The plan provides a strategic framework for all mental health services in the Territory and provides a range of strategies based around seven objectives. While the plan focuses on the community as a whole, it does provide a framework for all service providers, including those working with youth. The plan provides further evidence of a government that is committed to determining and meeting the needs of the community. (Extension of time granted)

The Government released "ymag" late last year. It is a modification of a Western Australian publication. "ymag" is a youth mental health promotion magazine which provides useful information on a wide range of issues for young people in a dynamic and contemporary manner. It has been designed to appeal to a young audience. Most importantly, it has received very positive feedback from young people. If you look at this magazine - in fact, I will table a copy of it later - you will see why. It includes a range of

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