Targeted Community Care (Mental Health) Program Family Mental Health Support Services
What is Family Mental Health Support Services?
Family Mental Health Support Services provide early intervention support to assist vulnerable
families with children and young people who are at risk of, or affected by, mental illness. These
services support parents to reduce family stress and enable children and young people to reach
their potential.
Why is Family Mental Health Support Services important?
Family Mental Health Support Services are important because they respond to research showing
that half of all serious mental health and substance use disorders commence by the age of 14, and
75 per cent commence by the age of 25. Coordinated early intervention support for children and
young people at risk of mental illness can prevent mental health issues progressing as they grow
up.
What does Family Mental Health Support Services deliver?
The types of services provided through Family Mental Health Support Services include, but are not
limited to:
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Information and referral for children, young people and families to other community
supports such as parenting and child behavioural services;
Counselling for children, young people and families. This includes education for children
and young people such as Kids in Focus and Children of People with Mental Illness and
family relationship counselling and social connection that supports family members;
Peer Support for families, children and young people that could include telephone, centre
based support and mentoring;
Advocacy such as mediating on behalf of a child or young person in a school or workplace
environment;
Family interventions including any supports that help children, young people and families
manage their lives effectively such as relationship building, conflict resolution and
communications;
Home-based support including assistance with developing family centred activities,
establishing routines and practical help with tasks;
Psychosocial activities including, for example, young people using digital technology to
make a YouTube production on mental health;
Education and skills development for children, young people and families, including Triple
Parenting, group work, mental health first aid and mental health literacy; and
Community awareness and development focussed on the promotion of mental health
issues for children, young people and families in the community.
Who can access Family Mental Health Support Services?
Services will accept referrals of children and young people from any source including self-referrals
and conduct an initial brief screening process to ensure Family Mental Health Support Services is
the appropriate service for them. A clinical diagnosis of mental illness is not required.
People who are the most disadvantaged in the community such as children and young people from
Indigenous and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds, families and children who may
have come to the attention of the child protection system but are not receiving structured
intervention, and young people leaving out-of-home care will receive priority access to services.
How can Family Mental Health Support Services be accessed?
Service providers can be located through the Department of Social Services website at:
http://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/mental-health/programs-services/family-mental-healthsupport-services.
Quick Facts
As of 30 June 2012, there are 54 Family Mental Health Support Services that have assisted over
250,000 children, young people and families since implementation in 2007. Individual support has
been provided to around 80,000 people and community activities have been provided for around
170,000 people.
In 2011-12, 24% of participants were from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse background and
8% identified as Indigenous.
New Measures
An additional $61 million over five years to establish 40 new Family Mental Health Support
Services was announced in the 2011-12 Budget. These new services are being rolled out
progressively from mid-2012 and will provide family focussed early intervention support to assist
children and young people who are at risk of or affected by mental illness.
These new Family Mental Health Support Services will deliver services which can be grouped under
three broad categories:
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early interventions specifically for children and young people and practical whole-of-family
assistance to improve the long-term outcomes for vulnerable children and young people at risk
of, or affected by, mental illness;
information and referral for families requiring short-term immediate assistance; and
community outreach, mental health promotion and community development activities to
increase local capacity to respond early and appropriately where there is a risk that children or
young people may be affected by mental illness.
Newly funded Family Mental Health Support Services will be required to deliver activities under
each of the three categories.
Where can I get more information about the Targeted Community Care
Program?
More information is available on the Department of Social Services website at:
http://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/mental-health/programs-services.
December 2012