Young people and mental health

Improving services and support for young people is a priority. 75 % of all serious mental illness begins before a person is 24 years old.
Extensive community consultation for WA Mental Health Towards 2020 gave clear support for a focus on young people aged 15 – 24 years as a high-risk group with unmet mental health needs. Intervening early with treatment and support that doesn’t stigmatise young people is likely to reduce the severity and length of illness.
New developments include:

• a $3 million redevelopment of the Bentley Adolescent Unit to transform the unit into a more therapeutic environment for treating young people with mental health problems
• $22.47 million Statewide Specialist Aboriginal Mental Health Services established to provide specialist interventions, particularly to help in the transition from adolescence to adulthood
• the $13 million Suicide Prevention Strategy which includes the development of community action plans targeting young people.

The Commission is helping to deliver services that are more responsive and better targeted to 15 to 24 year olds. We are helping provide better access to services for young people and their family, as well as expanded professional training and development for those working with young people who have a mental illness.