$2m pilot program to support Townsville’s troubled youths and their families
Townsville’s most troubled youths, many who ‘rarely ever see a GP’, will soon get access to support to tackle undetected mental health, general health, and substance misuse issues under a new $2m pilot program.
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Townsville’s most troubled youths, many who ‘rarely ever see a GP’, will soon get access to support to tackle undetected mental health, general health, and substance misuse issues under a new $2m pilot program.
The youth crime-plagued city will be the first in Queensland to pilot a new state government community outreach project, delivering targeted health assessments and services to at-risk youth over the next two years.
It will provide comprehensive care for up to 60 at-risk youths, focusing on a range of health issues from undetected Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) to mental health issues.
Its understood the pilot program will mainly focus on Townsville’s repeat offenders who are already involved with the youth justice system.
It will also offer early support to their siblings and families.
By addressing the needs of the whole family, the program aims to encourage participation in education, jobs, and community activities, which should help reduce repeat offences.
Danielle Hornsby, director of Allied Health at Townsville Hospital and Health Service (THHS), said they found youth tied up in the justice system are much more likely to have undiagnosed and untreated health, mental health, and developmental issues.
“Some of these kids haven’t seen a GP for ages — some might have middle ear infections or scabies,” she said.
“We’re picking up kids with rheumatic heart conditions and a lot of other things that haven’t been detected before because these kids aren’t engaged in the health or education system.
“A number of them have quite significant undiagnosed and untreated developmental, cognitive and intellectual issues as well.”
Ms Hornsby explained the program’s potential to connect youths with regular GPs and youth mental health services, funnelling them into intensive group or individual programs to help with anger management, decision-making, and other crucial skills.
THHS chief executive Kieran Keyes noted the transformative potential of the program, particularly in helping youths gain access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which was previously out of reach for many.
Youth Justice Minister Di Farmer said the $2m investment reflected their commitment to stopping the pipeline of young people entering the youth justice system.
“It means doing all we can to break the cycle of offending because when a young person comes into the system, we want to make sure we’re doing our very best to stop them returning,” she said.
THHS will be working to finalise the program’s model of care over the coming weeks and recruit extra clinicians before starting the project.
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Originally published as $2m pilot program to support Townsville’s troubled youths and their families
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