Synopsis:
Experiences of homelessness during adolescence and young adulthood can have profound impacts on a person’s future life course. Young people experiencing homelessness often experience intersecting determinants of health including financial and social exclusion, mental health stressors, and the use of alcohol and other drugs (AOD). Barriers to health care include accessibility and affordability, distrust of health care services, and lack of knowledge about available services or how to access them. Health interventions for this group are frequently crisis driven, demonstrating a need for both a preventive and early intervention approach.
The Young People’s Health Service (YPHS) is a nurse-led primary health care service that is a program of the Department of Adolescent Medicine (DoAM) at The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH). Since it was established in 1991 following recommendations from the Burdekin Report (a national enquiry into child homelessness), YPHS has aimed to advance the health outcomes of young people aged 12-24 who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Melbourne. This Grand Round will offer a clinical perspective to youth homelessness in Australia, how YPHS incorporate a social model of health into their care and discuss innovation & research in this area.
Speakers:
Dot Henning was endorsed as one of the first nurse practitioners in Victoria. She is also a midwife, has a Graduate Diploma of Adolescent Health (and Welfare), a Master of Nursing, and a PhD. Dot has been at the Young People’s Health Service for 25 years continually developing and refining her practice and the health service to best meet the complex health needs of the young people experiencing homelessness. She believes that health access and good health care should be equally available for all young people.
Belinda Tominc is a nurse practitioner at The Royal Children’s Hospital’s Young People’s Health Service. Belinda loves working with young people in the community and has experience in refugee health, immunisation nursing, and general practice nursing. Belinda is also a keen researcher with honorary positions with MCRI’s Centre for Adolescent Health and the Department of Nursing at the University of Melbourne. She has led observational and quality assurance studies investigating the oral health, nutrition, and sexual health of young people experiencing homelessness, and models of care to improve outcomes.
Charlie Bowes works as a nurse practitioner at the Young People’s Health Service, and as an after-hours nurse lead with the after-hours team at RCH. During Charlie’s 20-year career he has focused much of his clinical practice, research, and study on improving health access, outcomes, and advancements of at risk and vulnerable youth. Charlie has completed post graduate study in adolescent health, sexual health, advanced nursing practice, and clinical leadership. Charlie also sits on the RCH Nursing Professional Council.