Welcome to Jacaranda Place

Transcript

Welcome to Jacaranda Place. A place for healing, learning and recovery. Located at Chermside in Brisbane, Jacaranda Place provides specialist extended care and intensive treatment for young people with severe and complex mental health needs. It's the first centre of its kind in Australia, providing specialist multidisciplinary care and support to young people in a safe, supportive and structured environment. Treatment is focussed on improving life skills and increasing a young person's capacity and confidence to successfully reconnect with their family and community.

At Jacaranda Place, we help young people from across Queensland who have been referred to our two specialist services. A 12 bed residential unit for 13 to 18 year olds up to the age of 21 in some circumstances. And a day program which young people can attend up to five days a week, while living at home and staying engaged with their local community. We work in partnership with young people and their families, parents, carers and other support networks to help achieve individual recovery goals.

The team includes psychologists, nurses, doctors, dieticians, exercise physiologists, occupational therapists, art and music therapists, speech pathologists, social workers, Aboriginal and torres strait islander health worker, carer consultants and a peer workforce. We also work in close partnership with a young person's school, community based care team and or private psychiatrist to ensure a smooth transition into and out of Jacaranda Place. Young people who come to Jacaranda Place benefit from an integrated educational and mental health treatment service.

As students come in with different mental health conditions, it is really important that we individualise their learning program. We deliver the Australian curriculum so that they can then either go back to their base school or any other educational pathway. I remember when I first came here, I was very worried and very stressed about it. But now that I've settled in, it just feels like what I'm supposed to be doing.

It's nice to hang out with people who are going through the same thing as you. I feel like there's a good amount of structure and relaxation. I think it's amazing how many different activities we have available to us and that we can access them whenever we want to. Jacaranda Place was designed with young people in mind. We worked closely with young people with a lived experience of mental health services and their carers to co-design a welcoming, safe and effective therapeutic environment.

The centre includes a visitor's lounge for parents, siblings, extended family and friends to visit young people away from clinical areas, outdoor courtyards for physical activity and sports. A fully equipped gym. Break out areas for quiet reflection and time with family. An art therapy room. A music therapy room. A training kitchen and café. There's also onsite accommodation for family members and carers of young people visiting from regional or rural areas.

The centre's walls also display a vibrant contemporary art collection curated in collaboration with young people. With an emphasis on uplifting, encouraging and engaging art. We know that young people are moving into a new home, so we've all worked really hard to make it a safe, welcoming and inclusive space. We filled the building with artwork, beautiful murals from local artists and fun activities to make the space welcoming and fun.

The name Jacaranda Place was inspired by the strength and resilience of the Jacaranda tree, a hardy tree that can grow in difficult conditions. We believe this symbology reflects the experience and recovery journeys of the young people who are cared for at the centre. For everyone who comes to Jacaranda Place, whether it's for a residential stay or attending the day program, the goal is the same... to help young people learn and build the skills and confidence they need to recover their health, wellbeing and reach their full potential.