Adolescent Mental Health Inpatient Unit

Overview

What the service is

The Adolescent Mental Health Inpatient Unit is a 6 bed specialist acute mental health inpatient unit. It is a statewide resource located within the grounds of Shellharbour Hospital.

What we do

The unit provides a safe, developmentally appropriate and therapeutic environment, allowing comprehensive diagnostic assessments, therapeutic programs and management of children and adolescents aged between 12 to 17 years (inclusive), with serious mental health presentations.

The unit operates 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. The team includes: nursing staff, psychiatrists, an occupational therapist, a clinical psychologist, a social worker, and staff from the Department of Education and Training who provide ongoing education in the form of a learning centre.

What to expect

Access to a specialist mental health service, therapeutic groups and activities, and access to the education program. Groups include, but are not limited to: life skills, mindfulness, compassion focused groups, problem solving, healthy relationships, family interventions, cooking groups, and pet therapy.

Who should access this service

Children and adolescents aged between 12  to 17 years, with serious mental health issues.

How to access this service

Referrals to the Adolescent Mental Health Inpatient service are made by child, adolescent and youth mental health community teams statewide, following a formal and comprehensive mental health assessment.

Referrals to the Mental Health Service are by calling:

Mental Health Line 1800011511

Mental Health Line is a 24-hour telephone access service.

If it is an emergency call: 000

What to bring / what will be required

A list of suggested items to bring to the unit will be provided to each consumer prior to admission in the form of a unit brochure.

Contact Information

Adolescent Mental Health Inpatient Unit
Shellharbour Hospital
15-17 Madigan Boulevard
Mount Warrigal NSW 2528
Monday 4:00pm to 8:00pm
Tuesday 4:00pm to 8:00pm
Wednesday 4:00pm to 8:00pm
Thursday 4:00pm to 8:00pm
Friday 4:00pm to 8:00pm
Weekends and public holidays 10:00am to 8:00pm

How to get there

You can drive to Shellharbour Hospital or use public transport. The nearest train station is Oak Flats Railway Station. Premier Illawarra buses service the area. The Adolescent Mental Health Inpatient Unit is in a building behind the main hospital building, toward the back of the hospital site.

Parking

Free public parking is available at the front and rear of the Shellharbour Hospital site.

Advice for disabled to get to the service

There is one disabled car parking spot directly in front of the inpatient unit, and ramp access to the unit.