Integrating Education and Mental Health Systems

Authors

  • Grant Wheatley

Abstract

This paper outlines the development in Western Australia of integrated education and mental health services. A Process Model of Social Systems Design was employed to design new services to respond to the rising numbers of students with mental health problems. The significant changes that have taken place in Western Australia since 2004 to redesign systems, to bring together fragmented services and overcome interagency debates, are examined.

Author Biography

Grant Wheatley

Grant Wheatley has worked as a classroom teacher, teacher in charge of a program for emotionally disturbed students, School Psychologist, Team Leader – Learning Difficulties, Manager of a Centre for Inclusive Schooling and a member of a Review team into the educational services for students with disabilities. He has recently completed another review into services for students with psychiatric disabilities which has resulted in new approaches to identifying students with psychiatric disabilities in WA and the trialling of a new CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health services) and education liaison team. He is the Principal of Hospital School Services and in this role is in charge of 33 programs all in partnership with the Department of Health, which support students who face medical or mental health issues. Over the last three years he has project managed the development of a web-site that caters specifically for the professional development and communication of teachers interested in students with learning difficulties. In 2006 he undertook a Churchill Fellowship to the UK, Sweden and Canada to research joint service initiatives between the health and education sectors, catering for students with mental health issues.

Published

2008-07-04

How to Cite

Wheatley, G. (2008). Integrating Education and Mental Health Systems. Proceedings of the 52nd Annual Meeting of the ISSS - 2008, Madison, Wisconsin, 3(1). Retrieved from https://journals.isss.org/index.php/proceedings52nd/article/view/1041