Professor Bryanne Barnett AM, Clinical Director Raphael Services Blacktown; Helen McAllister, Director Raphael Services and Donna Adams, Raphael Services Manager WA at the official opening of the WA Hub in Wembley.
Camera IconProfessor Bryanne Barnett AM, Clinical Director Raphael Services Blacktown; Helen McAllister, Director Raphael Services and Donna Adams, Raphael Services Manager WA at the official opening of the WA Hub in Wembley. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

More families able to access St John of God Raphael Services perinatal illness help

Lauren PedenThe Advocate

MORE WA families suffering with perinatal illness are able to access St John of God Raphael Services following its growth this year.

Secondary level specialised mental health services are provided to families in the pre-conception, perinatal and infancy stages, up to the child’s fourth birthday.

They are available to all members of the community, not just St John of God Health Care patients, free of charge or at minimal cost.

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Wembley’s central site for all Raphael Services is connected to satellite locations in Midland, Fremantle and Cockburn.

Director Helen McAllister said the service would continue to expand in 2017 to help meet the needs of more parents and families.

“We’ve changed our model of care by introducing a hub, satellite and spoke delivery structure,” she said.

“We established the hub in Wembley late in 2016 and recently expanded our services in Midland and started a new outreach service in Cockburn.

“This approach to service delivery means that rather than expecting our clients to travel to access care, we are and will continue to take our services into the areas of greatest need.”

She said they were working to expand their service to include further outer metropolitan, regional and rural areas in WA.

Raphael Services WA delivered 2,170 individual counselling sessions in the last six months, providing perinatal mental health care to more than 350 parents.

More than 100 group therapy sessions were also held.

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