Information for health workers
Quicklinks
This page is for health professionals, educators, support workers, and other professionals who want to refer a young person aged 12-25 for mental health support.
When to consider referring to us
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Refer a young person to our service when their mental health concerns:
- Have been ongoing/persistent
- Are affecting multiple areas of their life (school, work, relationships, daily functioning)
- Are impacting their safety or the safety of others
- Haven't improved with support from other services
Other services to consider first:
- Community health centres
- Local headspace
- Local council youth counselling services
- Private psychologists or psychiatrists
- School/TAFE/university counselling services
- GP mental health care plans
Talking to the young person
Before referring, it’s important to:
- Talk with the young person about your concerns
- Highlight specific changes you’ve noticed in their mood or behaviour
- Discuss available help options with them
- Consider an “information meeting” with a health professional first
- Remember that many young people are reluctant to seek help
Need advice before referring?
Contact YAT at 1800 888 320 (24/7 phone line)
Making a referral
What information to have ready
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Demographics:
- Name, date of birth, address, next of kin
- Does the young person/family know about the referral?
- How do they feel about it?
Current concerns:
- Changes in emotions (mood swings, depression, anxiety, irritability)
- Changes in thinking (concentration, memory, hearing voices, unusual beliefs)
- Changes in behavior (withdrawal, self-harm, poor self-care, school/work performance)
- Physical symptoms (eating, sleeping changes)
- How long these changes have been going on for
Risk assessment:
- Degree of risk to self or others
- Thoughts of suicide, plans, or actions
Background information:
- Family history of mental illness
- Substance use
- Previous mental health treatment
- Available supports
- Why are you referring now?
Key assessment questions
For any concerns, be prepared to describe:
How long? How often? How intense? How does it affect daily functioning?
Interpreter services:
If needed for the young person or family, inform triage staff as early as possible.
What happens next
Triage assessment
Call our Triage/Intake team
Our Triage/Intake team will gather comprehensive information and determine if our service is suitable.
Initial assessment decision
If we’re identified as appropriate, we’ll arrange an assessment with our Youth Access Team (YAT). Please let us know if the young person will need an interpreter. We encourage family involvement in assessment.
Assessment appointments
The young person will have one or two appointments with YAT to understand their difficulties and plan next steps.
Assessment process
During assessment
We’ll explore:
- Main problems and their impact on daily activities
- Recent and past significant events
- Previous healthcare contacts
- Medical history and current medications
- Risk of self-harm or harm to others
- Current mental state
- What’s been tried so far
After assessment
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If referred for ongoing treatment
- We link the young person with a Continuing Care Team
- The young person will be allocated a case manager, who is the key contact for their care
- The young person, the case manager, and others, will work together to develop a plan for their treatment
If not referred for ongoing treatment
- We will discuss alternative treatment options with the young person, their family, and referrers
- We may provide additional support to link with other services
For more information, visit our Services 
page.
