Co-Morbidity Problems

Question put forward to the Hon. G.E. GAGO regarding Co-Morbidity Problems.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK:

1 (a) Which government agencies provide crisis services to people with co-morbidity problems; and

  (b) Is there a lead agency?

2. (a) Which non-government services provide crisis services to families of people with co-morbidity problems; and

   (b) Is there a lead agency?

3. (a) Which government or non-government services provide crisis services to families of people with co-morbidity problems; and

   (b) Is there a lead agency?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I have been advised:

1. (a) The Department of Health provides crisis services to adults with co-morbidity problems through the Assessment and Crisis Intervention Service (ACIS) for people in the metropolitan area, and through the Rural and Remote Emergency Triage and Liaison Service for people in country areas. In addition, crisis services are available through the emergency departments of all major metropolitan and some country hospitals.

The Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service provides crisis services for children and young people with co-morbidity problems through the Mental Health Emergency Response Service and the emergency department at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia provides a telephone service to people with co-morbidity problems through the Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS), a 24-hour information, counselling and referral service.

1. (b) The lead agency for any individual and/or family is based on a clinical assessment of risk of the particular presentation.

2. No non-government organisations (NGO) provide clinical crisis services for people with co-morbidity problems. If a person with co-morbidity is receiving a service from an NGO and requires crisis clinical care for mental health and substance abuse, the NGO would liaise with ACIS to determine the most appropriate action.

3. (a) Where the presenting issue is mental health, ACIS provides crisis services to families of adults with comorbidity problems in metropolitan Adelaide and the Rural and Remote Emergency Triage and Liaison Service provides these services in country South Australia.

The Mental Health Emergency Response Service of the Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service provides crisis services to the families of children with comorbidity problems.

ADIS provides telephone support, counselling and referral to members of families when they are seeking assistance for someone with co-morbidity problems.

The Department for Families and Communities also provides crisis services to families of people with co-morbidity problems, if there are dependents involved, through its child protection services.

A number of non-government organisations provide respite services which can be used in times of crisis, including the mental health specific respite services offered by Carers SA, the Richmond Fellowship and Uniting Care Wesley, Port Adelaide.

(b) The lead agency will vary with the clinical needs of the person and family or with the requirements of their management plan.