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The Primary Health Care (PHC) service detects, diagnoses and treats common mental health conditions, and organises the referral of more complicated mental health problems to more appropriate levels of mental health care. DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT If you are suffering from a mental health condition, you can go to your local clinic where a health worker will assess you and offer initial treatment. In the Metro, Southern Cape Karoo and West Coast Winelands regions, the health worker may refer you onto more specialised care offered by a mental health (psychiatric) nurse, where available. An appointment would need to be made to see the mental health nurse at the clinic as the nurse visits several clinics in a week. The mental health nurse may further assess your mental health condition to enable them to provide the most effective treatment. Treatment may include medication as well as short-term individual or group counselling and support. The mental health nurse may consult with the regional psychologist or psychiatrist (or other members of the regional mental health team) when additional expertise is required. If necessary, the mental health nurse may set up an appointment with one of these specialists for further assessment at the PHC clinic. In the Boland/Overberg region mental health care is offered at PHC clinics with support to the nurses available from the mental health nurse or the sessional psychiatrist.
SUPPORT GROUPS Additional support besides clinic visits may be necessary to promote and maintain good mental health, and clients may be advised to attend psychosocial rehabilitation support groups where necessary and available. Consult the mental health directory or ask your local clinic or mental health nurse about groups in your area. Some groups are run by Department of Health workers while others, particularly in the metro region, are run by NGOs partially subsidised by the department.
GROUP HOMES The Department of Health also gives partial subsidies to NGOs in some regions who offer group homes for adults with mental illness and day care centres for children under 18 years of age with profound and severe intellectual disability. Enquiries about vacancies at these NGO-run facilities would need to be directed to the NGO concerned. (See mental health directory)
USEFUL CONTACTS The following helplines can also be of assistance: - Anxiety and Depression Hotline: 011 783 1474
- Drug abuse / Naranon: 088 130 0327
- Aidsline: 0800 01 2322
- Child Line: 0800 05 5555
- Life Line: 021 461 1111/4
- Alcoholics Anonymous: 011 436 0797
- Narcotics Anonymous: 021 797 1400
- HEAL (Halt Elder Abuse Line): 0800 003 081
These organisations can also be of assistance: SA Federation for Mental Health
Private Bag X46
Braamfontein
2017
Tel: 011 781 1852 Cape Mental Health Society
Ivy Street
Observatory
7700
Tel: 021 447 9040 Western Cape Forum for Mental Handicap
Tel: 021 510 4686 Mental Health Information Centre
Department of Psychiatry
University of Stellenbosch
PO Box 19063
Tygerberg
7505
Tel: 021 938 9227 or 021 938 9116
Toll free: 0800 600 411 The Child Care Information Centre (CCIC) Maternal and Child Health Information and Resource Centre (MCHIRC) The Child Health Unit
Red Cross Hospital Children's Centre
46 Sawkins Road
Rondebosch
7700
Tel: 021 685 4103 |
