In a life threatening emergency dial Triple Zero (000)

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The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Community Teams provide assessment and treatment for children and young people up to 18 years of age, who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties.

About this service

CAMHS use the Choice and Partnership Approach (CAPA) to assist in the management of serious and complex mental health problems in children and adolescents. We do this through a comprehensive assessment and treatment program.

During an assessment, our team will gather information from you to build a detailed picture of your mental health. We’ll work together to decide what your goals for treatment are and what you would like to focus on.

All our clinicians have a relevant professional qualification and experience in working with children, young people and their families. Members of the team include psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, registered nurses and consultant psychiatrists.

Who we care for

Our service is available to children and young people who live in the ACT, who meet the following characteristics:

  • Aged up to 18 years
  • Experience a major mental illness
  • Are at current or potential risk(s) of suicide, self-harm, or harm to others, and may be or have been recently detained under the Mental Health Act.

We do not provide assessments for Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or Autism Spectrum Disorders.

How to access this service

Anyone can refer to CAMHS including:

  • Yourself
  • A parent or carer
  • With your consent, professionals such as your GP, school or private psychologist. We will send these people a referral form unless your referral is urgent.

Referrals can be made by calling us Monday to Friday, between 8.30am and 4:30pm on the numbers shown below:

CAMHS Northside: (02) 5124 1407

CAMHS Southside: (02) 5124 3133

Outside these hours you can call Access Mental Health on 1800 629 354 or (02) 6205 1065. This is a mental health crisis support service available 24/7.

During office hours you will speak to the duty clinician who will ask you about your current concerns or problems, how long the problem has existed, how severe is it, and how it affects your family, education and work.

The duty clinician may decide that another service would be better suited to support your needs and will refer you to that service.

If the duty clinician decides that CAMHS may be the best service to support you, they will suggest you attend an initial appointment (called a Choice appointment), book the appointment while you are on the phone and send a Choice information pack.

The Choice information pack includes:

  • Information about our service
  • Details of online resources that may help you while you wait for your appointment, and
  • How to access information on Your Health Care Rights.

This appointment will be booked according to your needs or suburb of residence (ie. Northside or Southside team).

What to expect at your Choice appointment

We encourage you to attend the appointment with parent/s, carer or guardian. Please arrive 15 minutes early to complete a Mental Health wellbeing questionnaire. The appointment will be approximately 1 - 1.5 hours long.

During the appointment the clinician will work with you to identify your current mental health needs and goals. Together we will decide on the most appropriate care for you. This may include the offer of a therapeutic partnership. A therapeutic partnership means a clinician will work with you to meet the recovery goals identified during your Choice appointment. They will provide guidance and therapeutic support.

What to bring to your appointment

  • Medicare card
  • Any letters or correspondence from your GP or other health professionals

Where we are located

  • Belconnen Community Health Centre, 56 Lathlain Street, Belconnen
  • The Cosmopolitan Centre, Level 2, 21 Bowes Street, Woden, ACT

We have directions and transport information for both the Cosmopolitan Centre in Woden and Belconnen Community Health Centre.

For 24/7 crisis or after-hours support, please call Access Mental Health on (02) 6205 1065 or 1800 629 354.

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In the case of a life threatening emergency, dial Triple Zero (000).

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Contact us

Switchboard Canberra Hospital
(02) 5124 0000

International callers
+61 (2) 5124 0000

Switchboard North Canberra Hospital
(02) 6201 6111

International callers
+61 (2) 6201 6111

Switchboard other hospitals and services
(02) 5124 0000

International callers
+61 (2) 5124 0000

The switchboard handles all calls to, from and within the hospital 24 hours/seven days a week