The independent Ministerial Taskforce into Public Mental Health Services for Infants, Children and Adolescents aged 0-18 years in Western Australia  (ICA Taskforce) was created in response to the tragic death of 13-year-old Kate Savage in 2020. The ICA Taskforce was charged with investigating the pressures and demands on the state’s mental health system and reporting to Government on how to ensure children receive the treatment and care they need, when they need it. The Final Report of the ICA Taskforce was released in March 2022.  The Final Report provides the framework to transform the mental health system into a contemporary, evidence-informed model of service and models of care that meet the needs of children in WA from the day they are born through to their 18th birthdays. This is an extremely significant body of work which the Western Australian Government is committed to progressing in a targeted way, addressing both immediate need and longer-term outcomes, as recommended by the ICA Taskforce.

The Mental Health Commission (MHC) is currently undertaking planning for the procurement of a consultant to facilitate the coordination and development of the model of service and models of care, focusing on the immediate and short-term recommendations set out in the Final Report, and a detailed implementation plan that stages the implementation of the new models over the medium-term. Organisations who may be interested in submitting an Offer for this work are strongly encouraged to familiarise themselves with the following documents in preparation for release of the Tender:

• Chief Psychiatrist’s Review into the Treatment of Ms Kate Savage by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services -https://www.chiefpsychiatrist.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/CP-Targeted-Review-Report-KS-Review-081220.pdf
• Emerging Directions: The Crucial Issues For Change - https://www.mhc.wa.gov.au/media/3884/ica-taskforce-emerging-directions-paper-final.pdf
• Final Report - Ministerial Taskforce into Public Mental Health Services for Infants, Children and Adolescents aged 0 – 18 years in WA - https://www.mhc.wa.gov.au/media/4160/ica-taskforce-final-report-2022-mar2022.pdf

The anticipated date for release of the Request for Tender on Tenders WA is mid May 2022. A mandatory briefing will be held once the Request for Tender has been released to the market.