The Centenary Hospital for Women and Children Expansion Project has reached another key milestone, with the opening of the new 14-bed Adolescent Unit today.
The new inpatient unit, which has been designed specifically for Adolescent patients, has eight medical and six dedicated mental health beds. This is the first time the ACT public health system has had dedicated mental health beds for young people.
The Canberra Health Services’ Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) will operate the six dedicated mental health beds – providing care for young people who require treatment for acute mental illness.
The eight medical beds will cater for young people who have been admitted to hospital, with two of these being designed so they can be easily adapted to meet demand in the unit at any given time.
Features of the new Adolescent Unit also include:
• 1 negative pressure room
• 1 bariatric rated room with lifter
• A treatment room
• A sensory room within the Mental Health section of the Unit
• Interview spaces, and
• A dedicated place for recreation and therapeutic activities, a family lounge and courtyard.
Artwork by Canberra based artists Paul Summerfield, byrd and Julie Bradley, and Indigenous artist Natalie Bateman, has been produced and curated for the new unit to help create a place of healing and inspiration for the young people receiving care.
