Presentation by Monique Platell - Principals of Optimal Mental Health Care for Adolescents and the impact of system-wide barriers. Presented at the Western Australian Mental Health Conference 2019.

1. Principles of optimal
mental health care for
adolescents and the
impact of system-wide
barriers
Monique Platell (monique.platell@research.uwa.edu.au)
Supervisors: Dr. Karen Martin, Prof. Angus Cook
& Prof. Colleen Fisher

2. Structure of
Mixed-
Methods
Project
1.Interviews
with
adolescent
mental health
practitioners
2. Online
survey for
adolescents
3. Interviews
with
adolescents
with lived
mental health
experience
Integrated
Report

3. Background
 Services ad hoc, existing in silos
 Limited streamlining of processes
 Paucity of information on impacts of service
processes and policies on adolescent
engagement with care

4. Research
Question
What do mental health professionals perceive as
the main service- and policy-level facilitators and
barriers to optimal care for adolescents?

5. Methods
 23 professionals in adolescent mental health
 Face to face semi-structured interviews
 Thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts

6. Results
1. Flexibility
2. Consistency
3. Trust
Three Principles of Optimal Service
Provision

7. 1. Flexibility
Facilitators of optimal service provision:
1. Outreach
2. Additional appointment times
3. Extra support services
4. Extended follow up
5. Therapy options

8. 1. Flexibility
Barriers to optimal service provision:
1. ‘Did not attend’ policies
2. Entry criteria
3. Formal appointments
4. Hours of operation
5. Limited number of sessions
6. Service accessibility

9. 2.Consistency
Facilitators of optimal service provision:
1. Measuring client goals
2. Explaining parameters of support
3. Physical environment of service

10. 2.Consistency
Barriers to optimal service provision:
1. Funding
2. Follow up of referrals
3. Lack of qualified staff
4. Lack of continuous care
5. Long waiting times

11. 3.Trust
Facilitators of optimal service provision:
1. Rapport
2. Informed practice
3. Young person first
4. Intentionally welcoming

12. 3.Trust
Barriers to optimal service provision:
1. Inappropriate referrals
2. Lack of professional knowledge
3. Invalidating experiences

13. Discussion
 Little incentive for service collaboration
 Service practices have become gatekeeping
exercises
 Limited and short-term funding has created
inconsistencies

14. Recommendations
 Create system-wide monitoring and evaluation
tool
 Create “one stop shop”
 Maximise use of mental health professional’s skills
 Increase the use of multidisciplinary teams
 Investment into GP liaison staff
 Standardise triage for mental health services

15. Conclusion
 Services under extreme pressure to manage
demand
 Services adopting practices that can create barriers
for adolescents
 Services need to reflect on internal practices

16. Publication/
contact details
Monique Platell, Karen Martin, Angus Cook &
Colleen Fisher (2018) Principles of optimal mental
health care for adolescents and the impact of
system-wide barriers, Advances in Mental
Health, DOI: 10.1080/18387357.2018.1551065
Contact details:
Monique Platell
Email address:
monique.platell@research.uwa.edu.au
Mobile: 0422510806