The Centre and Discipline of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy at UWA is a centre within the Faculty of Medicine.

It provides leadership in the field of Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Western Australia. The Centre is linked with Specialised Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

The Centre conducts, fosters and supports research in the entire area of child and adolescent mental health. Research projects are carried out in a translational manner, with the aim of short iteration between research and clinical practice in terms of a 'from bench to bedside' approach. It is the aim to also have research to inform teaching in this particular area in order to allow world-class education in Child and Adolescent Mental Health for UWA students.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health is a crucial area in clinical medicine and medical research because of the large impact of mental health on general health and wellbeing, and because psychiatric disorders often show a developmental trajectory. Childhood and adolescence are critical periods for diagnosis and intervention in order to allow positive outcomes.

Linked clinical services

Team members provide clinical work within the following sites:

• Acute Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (inpatients)
• Acute Response Team (ART)
• Acute Community Intervention Team (ACIT)
• Consultation-Liaison Services (C&L)
• Pathways Clinic
• Complex ADHD Services (CADHS)
• Eating Disorders Program (EDP)
• Early Intervention Psychosis Service (EIPS)
• Gender Diversity Service (GDS)
• Community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
• Multi-systemic Therapy Program (MST)

If you or someone you know is in need of crisis or suicide prevention support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

The Acute Response Team (ART) provides specialist mental health information, assessment and support for young people up to the age of 18, their families, main care giver or support agency. ART provides a central telephone service on 1800 048 636 for children and young people with urgent mental health issues, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

New Children’s Hospital

Many of these clinical services will move to the new Perth Children’s Hospital.