A CORONER investigating the deaths of six young Tasmanians has recommended sweeping changes to mental health services. Coroner Olivia McTaggart has also urged the media to be extremely careful in their coverage of self-harm deaths. The six youths took their own lives between 2010 and 2014. Several were known to each other, and five were known to Child Protection Services. Ms McTaggart said there was clearly a serious gap in mental health services for adolescents in Tasmania, making it difficult to access treatment and support. ''I do not accept that I am constrained by resource considerations in making otherwise appropriate recommendations,'' she said. Ms McTaggart said she had been presented with ''a very bleak picture'' of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service's ability to implement cost-effective programs. She recommended CAMHS be staffed to ''best practice'' levels to provide an adequate service, ensuring there is no freeze in referrals and eliminating any back log. Ms McTaggart said there must be a strong focus on outreach services and flexible ways to engage with young people, noting youths are often blamed for disengaging. ''Such blame should cease and careful consideration be given as to why young people disengage,'' she said. Ms McTaggart said families and carers wishing to be involved in treatment should not be kept out of the loop. She recommended hospitals consider providing discharge summaries and contact details for follow-up treatment to young patients and their guardians. The coroner said a comprehensive early intervention program for children aged up to three should be established, and hospitals consider implementing a statewide suicide risk assessment tool. Ms McTaggart found Child Protection Services struggled to identify risks of cumulative harm, and needed to rethink its response to youth homelessness. She recommended CPS develop a dedicated portfolio for at-risk youth to provide a single point of accountability. Ms McTaggart cautioned the media against glorifying suicide deaths, saying some coverage of one death in question was sensationalised, repetitive and single-minded. She said the editorial approach taken was conducive to contagion, but no direct links could be made between the reports and any of the six deaths. The government said it would carefully consider the coroner’s report and respond to the findings and recommendations as soon as possible. Lifeline: 131114. Kids Helpline: 1800551800 www.kidshelp.com.au. Suicide callback service: 1300659467, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
A CORONER investigating the deaths of six young Tasmanians has recommended sweeping changes to mental health services.
Coroner Olivia McTaggart has also urged the media to be extremely careful in their coverage of self-harm deaths.
The six youths took their own lives between 2010 and 2014.
Several were known to each other, and five were known to Child Protection Services.
Ms McTaggart said there was clearly a serious gap in mental health services for adolescents in Tasmania, making it difficult to access treatment and support.
''I do not accept that I am constrained by resource considerations in making otherwise appropriate recommendations,'' she said.
Ms McTaggart said she had been presented with ''a very bleak picture'' of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service's ability to implement cost-effective programs.
She recommended CAMHS be staffed to ''best practice'' levels to provide an adequate service, ensuring there is no freeze in referrals and eliminating any back log.
Ms McTaggart said there must be a strong focus on outreach services and flexible ways to engage with young people, noting youths are often blamed for disengaging.
''Such blame should cease and careful consideration be given as to why young people disengage,'' she said.
Ms McTaggart said families and carers wishing to be involved in treatment should not be kept out of the loop.
She recommended hospitals consider providing discharge summaries and contact details for follow-up treatment to young patients and their guardians.
The coroner said a comprehensive early intervention program for children aged up to three should be established, and hospitals consider implementing a statewide suicide risk assessment tool.
Ms McTaggart found Child Protection Services struggled to identify risks of cumulative harm, and needed to rethink its response to youth homelessness.
She recommended CPS develop a dedicated portfolio for at-risk youth to provide a single point of accountability.
Ms McTaggart cautioned the media against glorifying suicide deaths, saying some coverage of one death in question was sensationalised, repetitive and single-minded.
She said the editorial approach taken was conducive to contagion, but no direct links could be made between the reports and any of the six deaths.
The government said it would carefully consider the coroner’s report and respond to the findings and recommendations as soon as possible.
Lifeline: 131114.
Kids Helpline: 1800551800 www.kidshelp.com.au.
Suicide callback service: 1300659467, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
