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Home > Community Solutions & Crime Prevention > Wyong
School-Link Plus
School-Link+ is a collaborative initiative between the Central Coast Area Mental Health Service and the Department of Education and Training. The initiative identifies schools as strategic locations for programs around promotion, prevention and early intervention in depression in young people, building on the existing School-Link program.
Aims and Objectives
- To establish links and collaborative relationships between the Centre for Young People's Mental Health (CYPMH), Youth Health, other relevant services, community organisations and staff, students and families in the target high schools.
- To improve access to mental health services for students and their families recognised with mental health problems and mental illness in the targeted schools.
- To identify, support and expand implementation of mental health resources such as Mind Matters in targeted schools.
- To identify and/or develop innovative and evidence-based programs to support “at risk“students in the target schools.
- To identify and develop resources and training to assist staff in their understanding and skills in management of mental health issues.
The Project
The NSW Premier's Department identified a number of demographically vulnerable communities on the Central Coast within the catchment area of three high schools. Two years' funding was granted as part of the Community Solutions initiative to strategically target these schools to work with students with an identified mental health vulnerability.
The NSW Premier’s Department has funded the project for two years. The School-Link+ project will work in collaboration with Wyong, Northlakes and Gorokan High Schools with students and families. The School-Link Worker is located in each high school one day a week and provides consultation to staff and assessment of students and their families with identified mental health concerns as prioritised by the schools learning support team. The project will also support schools to be places that promote emotional wellbeing as an educational priority.
Results/Evaluations
The project has recently commenced and will be evaluated for the duration of the funding. Interventions are evaluated by the same guidelines as all Central Coast Health services and include a project evaluation plan and pre- and post surveys and supporting data.
Sustainability
Mental health services for children and young people are a priority area in the provision of services on the Central Coast. Central Coast Health is exploring funding options to sustain the project.
Lessons Learnt:
- Need to improve community awareness of services for young people in targeted area.
- Difficulties in recruiting staff to position delayed commencement of project.
For further information
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Manager
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Central Coast Area Children and Young People's Mental Health Service
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02 4372 7290
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