Schoolies mental health issues increase on Gold Coast as response unit sets up again
IT’S supposed to be a big, fun party for kids celebrating the end of their schooling — but some are in crisis. That’s where the Coast’s schoolies mental health response unit comes in.
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MEDICS are steeling themselves for an increase in teens suffering mental health crisis amid the partying at Schoolies.
Festival organisers are urging parents to give them a heads up if their graduating student offspring have mental health issues so a special unit set up to help and look after the schoolies can be prepared.
Luke Lindsay, who heads the Gold Coast Health acute care treatment team at Schoolies, says that based on trends the mental health response unit is expecting an increase in numbers needing care.
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Mr Lindsay, who has been part of the mental health response unit at Schoolies over the past four years, said the team conducted 89 full mental health assessments at the festival last year on students in crisis, seeking intervention because of suicidal thoughts, exhibiting erratic behaviour or in mental distress — a jump of 41 per cent on 2016.
“We are also seeing an increase in overall presentations at the centre, of 20 per cent year-on-year,” Mr Lindsay said.
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“Mental health is a vital part of the Gold Coast Schoolies community safety response and this year we are looking to increase the early intervention.”
As part of the approach the Gold Coast Health team of psychiatrists, mental health clinicians and Alcohol and Other Drugs staff wanted information on at-risk school leavers before they arrived.
“Last year we saw around 90 people who proceeded to a full mental health assessment. These are often situations where they are intoxicated, distressed and a lot have pre-existing mental health concerns,’’ he said.
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“We are really trying to push the collaboration with the guardians, so we can be aware of mental health concerns when they present to us. That way we will also have a point of contact with someone at home and have the ability to link in after.”
The suicide of a schoolie in 2012 shocked many at the time but Mr Lindsay said despite the party atmosphere, it was not uncommon for the team to assess and assist students who were having suicidal thoughts.
“The build-up to the week can often lead to a huge amount of pressure on students,” he said.
“For a lot of these young people it is the first time they have been away from home.
“They are on minimum sleep, not eating well, and if you add alcohol and drugs to the mix along with pre-existing issues, there is a need for early intervention.
“An example is a young girl last year presented to the tent feeling like she wanted to end her life because her boyfriend had cheated on her.’’
The girl was able to stay at the acute care tent, given a risk assessment by a psychiatrist and be monitored for the first night.
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Regular checks were conducted from then on, in collaboration with her parents.
Follow-ups will be made this year with schoolies, either over the phone or in direct visits.
Mr Lindsay said Schoolies volunteers this year had also been trained to identify early warning signs.
He said the increase in schoolies seeking help was due in part to awareness of the service.
“The increase year on year also correlates with the numbers we are seeing through emergency departments for mental health outside of Schoolies,’’ he said.
“In general I believe young people are more able to seek help and recognise the signs when they might start to spiral.”
Specialist care would be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week over Schoolies, with peak times between 6pm-2am.
The team could be contacted on 1300 MH CALL (1300 642 255).
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