Support from Other Professionals

There are many ways to help a young person experiencing a mental illness. Although they may have a case manager at Orygen Youth Health - Clinical Program other professionals will remain involved in their care due to the expertise they bring in a particular area, such as employment. This involvement requires the development of partnerships among professionals so there is clarity between roles, responsibilities and expectations. This can be achieved and maintained via phone calls, email and/or face to face meetings. Young people often talk about what they found helpful to them when they were recovering from their illness. One aspect that stands out is how other people responded to them.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when supporting a young person with a mental illness.

• Try to understand the nature of the illness, how it affects the young person and what treatment they are receiving. Speaking with the Case Manager is one way of doing this.
• Often young people who are ill can experience considerable distress and fear. Ensure they have a supportive and comforting environment to help them manage these emotions.
• Remain hopeful that the person will recover but understand that it might take some time.
• Often young people benefit from being engaged in activity. This enables them to feel a sense of accomplishment and pleasure, and may also distract them from their difficult thoughts and feelings.
• Continue to be clear about the limits and boundaries of your own role.
• If the young person acts aggressively, ensure the safety of yourself and others and call police if required.
• If a young person speaks about suicide it is important to take it seriously and assess the situation further. Important questions to ask would be how often they think about ending their life, what they plan to do, and what things can be done to help keep them safe. If you are unsure of how to assess the level of risk, or you feel that extra support is needed to keep the young person safe, contact your supervisor or local mental health service to consult. Remember, your duty of care is to act on any concerns you may have about a young person's risk and ensure adequate supports are put in place. Duty of care overrides any confidentiality agreements made with the young person.