Youth Suicide Prevention Training

Youth Suicide Prevention Training

Carrie Lewis

Carrie is a Nurse Unit Manager and is currently the Manager of the Community Mental Health Acute Care Service.

She has 13 years’ experience working in the public mental health system, most of that time specialising in adolescent mental health. She is very passionate about the mental well-being of our young people and a strong advocate for our health services and other community organisations to work collaboratively to achieve better outcomes.

Carrie’s presentation will cover the referral pathways/processes into the mental health service and an explanation of the treatment services offered through the public health system.

Dr Josh Tobin

Child and Adolescent/General Psychiatrist

FRANZCP, MBBS, BSc (Hons), Dip. Ed., Adv. Cert C&A Psych.

Josh currently works with the Youth & Family Mental Health Team, together with the Acute Care Team for younger people. He also sees adult patients in the Coffs Inpatient Unit and with the MH community team, especially perinatal and patients with eating disorders. Previously he has worked in Acute Adolescent Inpatient Units in Sydney, together with working at Westmead Children's Hospital.

Prior to entering medicine he was a high school teacher in Sydney and London. Josh believes physical and social activity are fundamental to mental & overall health. He also views emotional connections to others as being of primary importance in improving quality of life and reducing the risk of suicide.

Josh will cover the way in which psychiatrists conceptualise and approach the management of those with acute and chronic suicidal ideation. This will include a brief outline of MH conditions in which suicidality is often present, together with treatment options including possible hospitalization. There will be a very brief discussion of the role of psychotropic medication.

Dr Nicola Holmes

Nicola Holmes is a GP who grew up in Coffs Harbour and currently works at Headspace as well as Coffs Medical Centre. She has over 10 years experience working in youth mental health and is passionate about a whole community approach to improving the mental health of everyone living in Coffs Harbour.

Overview of what Nicola will cover (3 hours) which will include activities and small group work

• ·Identifying suicidal young people in practice.
• ·Making safety plans around suicidal thinking
• ·Helping friends and carers to support someone with suicidal thinking.

Schedule for the day

9:30-10:00- Arrival, registration, tea and coffee

10:00-11:30- Carrie Lewis and Dr Josh Tobin (NCAHS)

11:30-11:50- Panel discussion/questions with Carrie, Josh and Nicola

11:50-12:30- Lunch (40mins)

12:30-2:00- Dr Nicola Holmes (Part One)

2:00-2:15- Afternoon Tea (15 mins)

2:15-3:45- Dr Nicola Holmes (Part Two)

3:45- 4:00 Evaluations and Closing