Youth Community Assessment and Treatment Team

Youth Community Assessment and Treatment Team (YCATT) is a community-based service providing a client-centred and recovery-focused approach to youth mental health care for 16 to 24-year-olds who may be:

• experiencing:
  • mental health crisis
  • emerging psychosis
  • mood issues
  • anxiety
  • emotional dysregulation
  • eating issues
• at higher risk of developing mental health disorders or already have a diagnosed disorder.

It is part of the Youth Mental Health Service.

The YCATT service provides a time limited period of assessment, practical support and a range of youth appropriate clinical treatment interventions to improve the youth consumer's mental health. The service:

• works with young people to facilitate links with the community to help with recovery
• provides a flexible model of community-based care and intensive case management
• works collaboratively with the young person's support system.

YCATT also works to establish links with community mental health organisations to support long term recovery. The YCATT team ensures continuity of care across both inpatient and community based services if required.

Services include:

• assessment and diagnostic clarification
• psychoeducation regarding how to achieve recovery and goal setting to make this happen
• involvement of the young person's family in a manner that suits the preferences of the young person
• case management (practical help) and treatment of mental health symptoms
• clinical psychology
• peer support works
• referral to other appropriate services with additional support to ensure a seamless transition
• establishing links with long term community mental health supports
• education support and school liaison – read about educational support for youth mental health patients
• advocacy.

The YCATT team includes:

• consultant psychiatry
• psychiatric registrar
• mental health nurses
• social worker
• clinical psychologist
• liaison teacher.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the service the consumer must be:

• aged 16 – 24 years
• live within the south metropolitan catchment area (PDF 262KB) (other areas on a case-by-case basis)
• experiencing a decline in daily activities
• requiring immediate mental health support.

Referrals

Referral are accepted from:

• the consumer or their family or friend
• general practitioner referral
• community managed organisation
• school
• a young person's inpatient treating team.

All referrals are discussed with the team and a decision is made to either accept the referral or suggest more appropriate treatment pathways.