Page 77 - 2017-2018 Department of Psychiatry Annual Report

family physician. The unit provides matched to the clinical intervention Bipolar Clinic
24-7 structured, individualized care and/or community support that best
in a secure environment. The SCU meets their goals and needs. The Bipolar Specific Care Clinic
works in collaboration with the provides consultation and follow-
Department of Justice and is unique There are three main IWK CMHA up for youth up to the age of 19
in that youth it serves are involved clinics: Halifax, Bedford/Sackville and years of age with a diagnosis or
with the judicial system. Dartmouth. There are also clinicians suspected diagnosis of bipolar
from these clinics that work in School disorder. The clinic accepts referrals
Forensic Assessments and Mental Health delivering service for diagnostic assessment from
Intervention directly in the HRM schools. the Maritime Provinces and will
follow youth and families within the
The forensic team provides Reproductive Mental Health Halifax Regional Municipality who
specialized assessments for the have bipolar disorder. The clinic
youth justice court. The team Service provides consultative services and
provides rehabilitation services for The Reproductive Mental Health collaborative care to clinicians at the
youth which focus on improving Service (RMHS) is an interdisciplinary IWK community mental health clinics
functioning in the community and team of clinicians who work as well as to clinicians across the
while in the Nova Scotia Youth collaboratively to provide specialized province for those youth who show
Facility. The team provides mental outpatient mental health services signs of increasing severity of illness
health interventions in the community, to women (over the age of 18) who with effort to provide a seamless
advocates for services for youth and are pregnant/postpartum and are transfer of care for those with severe
provides court mandated treatments. currently experiencing moderate to illness.
severe psychiatric symptoms with
IWK Psychiatry Consultation significant impairment related to Concurrent Disorders
perinatal issues.
Services for Community The Concurrent Disorders Specific
Physicians and Pediatricians: Specific Care Clinics Care Clinic specializes in treatment
Physicians can request psychiatry Eating Disorders Clinic of youth suffering with complex
consultations or one-time substance use and mental
assessments from an IWK child The IWK Eating Disorders Specific health disorders. The outpatient
psychiatrist. The Psychiatry Care Clinic is a multidisciplinary clinic provides comprehensive
Consultation Service is for physicians specialty team providing services psychiatric assessments, withdrawal
who will continue to care for the to youth identified as having either management and treatment to youth,
referred patient’s mental health/ anorexia or bulimia nervosa. The as well as consultation to other
addictions problems, but who need team consults directly to the acute IWK services including the Garron
the advice of a psychiatrist to do inpatient psychiatry unit providing Centre inpatient unit, IWK Adolescent
so. Consultations to physicians can collaborative and ongoing care Intensive Services (AIS), and
be provided by phone. Patients can for youth with eating disorders. youth forensic services. Physician
also be referred for a one time visit Clinical care occurs not only with consultations from the Maritime
to focus on diagnostic clarification or the youth (inpatient and outpatient Provinces are accepted. The clinic
psychopharmacological advice. settings) but also directly involves provides consultation provincially as
immediate family members in the well as capacity building for evidence
Community Mental Health form of psychoeducation, support, based treatment in youth substance
psychotherapy and training in the
and Addictions Clinics integral components of evidence- use disorders.
Clinicians at the community mental based behavioral and cognitive Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
health clinics provide direct care to therapy used for treatment of this (OCD) Clinic
youth up to the age of 19 and their illness. The eating disorders team
families in the community. Multi- accepts referrals from across the The IWK OCD Clinic provides
disciplinary teams provide mental Maritime Provinces and provides specialty service to children and
health and addictions treatment collaborative specialty consultation youth (and their families) with
to a diverse patient population to outside services via a provincial moderate to severe OCD. Care is
who are experiencing moderate to network of clinicians who share an multidisciplinary including psychiatry,
severe mental health and addictions interest in providing evidence based psychology and an outreach clinician
difficulties. Services offered vary care for Nova Scotia youth with to provide exposure-response
depending on the issues or illness eating disorders. prevention (cognitive behavioural
the youth / family want help with. therapy) treatment within the
Children, youth and families are youth’s home/community. The team

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