Adult mental health services will develop individual treatment plans if you have a serious mental illness. This can include conditions such as severe depression and anxiety, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia and psychosis.
In some circumstances if you are suffering a personality disorder, you will be eligible for services, based on the impact of the disorder on yourself or the community.
Many mental health difficulties may be affected by illicit drug or alcohol use, so the mental health service will treat such conditions.
South West Healthcare Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing Services operate from offices in Warrnambool, Portland, Camperdown and Hamilton.
The teams all work closely with the Acute Inpatient and the Extended Care Inpatient Units in Warrnambool if you are admitted to these facilities.
You will be seen at the location of your preference, which can include at home, in the office or somewhere else in the community if it is safe to do so.
Once you are diagnostically assessed and the services you are eligible for are determined, you will meet with a Clinical Therapist. The therapist will work with you for the duration of your time with our service.
Our Clinical Therapists are staff members trained in the areas of nursing, psychology, occupational therapy or social work. While using the service you will also be reviewed periodically by the team psychiatrist.
The focus of interventions is to assist you in managing mental health difficulties into the future. Treatment offered by the adult mental health services are based on the individual needs and your goals.
Strategies to achieve this may include
You will be supported to regain self-belief and self-confidence, to work towards your goals and to find ways to live well with ongoing mental health difficulties. You will be encouraged to grow, develop a new sense of meaning and purpose and to take responsibility for yourself your life.
Mental health services recognise the negative impact that mental health difficulties can have on maintaining physical health, therefore attention will be given to strategies that optimise health outcomes generally.
Clinical Therapists do value the input of family members and other individuals close to the person using the services; however the extent and nature of this involvement can vary depending on your needs and preferences.