HEADSPACE Ballarat team manager Janelle Johnson said the program’s effectiveness came down to a case-by-case measure.
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This comes in response to an independent report finding that the national youth mental health organisation only offered a small benefit to most clients, while one in 10 patients’ wellbeing went significantly backwards.
The University of New South Wales evaluation concluded results were marginally better than people getting no treatment or being treated privately, according to an ABC exclusive.
Ms Johnson said the figures were a concern but, the Ballarat program’s collaborative approach in this region made for a positive model in youth mental health services due to the varied nature of cases and urgency in referring to more specialised help.
The report did not specify which centres were performing well, but Ms Johnson said a key part of the headspace model was collecting data to assess and tailor services. This was primarily done by asking young people how they were going.
Headspace Ballarat prides itself on staff rapport with young clients marking them a consistent 4.6 average out of five for help.
Ms Johnson said an area the Ballarat program could improve was helping clients attain goals, sometimes because goals were not clear or were hard to meet in six sessions. They were generally marked less than four.
“It should be transparent and people should know how we’re going,” Ms Johnson said. “...Whenever we have a young person in crisis we work collaboratively with the area’s mental health services. One of the nice things we can do is transfer quickly to a tertiary service if needed, and they can re-enter and resume programs with us afterwards.”
The central Ballarat base has a lot of drop-ins, who may immediately be directed to most appropriate help – for example the Centre Against Sexual Assault – and the young person was still asked the brief assessment.
Culturally diverse needs was also deemed ‘unmet’ by the UniNSW report. Ms Johnson said Ballarat generally found it hard to attract refugees or Aboriginal youth, but Ballarat also had a strong Aboriginal cooperative doing great work.
Headspace Ballarat has also started work to strengthen a partnership with the Centre for Multicultural Youth.
Ballarat Community Health takes the lead on headspace in this town with the support of a consortium, including Ballarat Health Services, Centacare, St John of God Hospital, Mind Australia and Uniting Care Ballarat.
Headspace announced last week former Ballarat export Jason Trethowan as the new national chief executive officer. Mr Trethowan moves from his role as Western Victoria Primary Health Network chief and told The Courier he believed key youth mental health concerns in Ballarat as reflective of young people Australia-wide.
