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Better help for health professionals means better help for treating mental health problems

Health professionals will have access to new clinical practice guidelines to help them identify and treat mental health problems following National Health and Medical Research Council’s approval of guidelines developed by beyondblue: the national depression initiative.

In the previous government, then Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Mark Butler welcomed the release of the two clinical practice guidelines addressing depression and related issues, and said that the Gillard Government had a strong commitment to making sure that people who are dealing with mental health issues receive the best possible care and treatment. “These Guidelines will assist health professionals across Australia to identify and respond to depression and mental health risks for young people and mothers. “One guideline will provide guidance in the effective treatment of depression amongst the traditionally hard to target group of adolescents and young adults aged 13 to 24 years. The second will assist primary and maternity care health professionals provide care to those in the perinatal (around birth) period to improve quality of life for mothers and their babies.

The beyondblue Clinical Practice Guideline: Depression in Adolescents and Young Adults and Clinical Practice Guidelines for depression and related disorders – anxiety, bipolar disorder and puerperal psychosis – in the perinatal period were partly funded by the Australian Government.

Copies of the Guidelines are available from beyondblue