Mater Young Adult Health Centre

The Youth Disaster Recovery website is an online resource designed with young people in mind. It is intended to help address the gap between high rates of post traumatic mental health problems after disasters and low levels of access to counselling. The site is a valuable resource for information on disaster recovery for young people, parents, friends and teachers.

If you have experienced a natural disaster, this online resource can help you gain understanding of what may be going on for you or for your friends and family when they have experienced a natural disaster. Information is provided that is appropriate from the time the disaster happens to 12 months on when the anniversary occurs.

The care provided at the Mater Young Adult Health Centre Brisbane assists patients with chronic health conditions to easily transition from paediatric services through to adult services by providing an environment that allows young adults to feel empowered and involved in decisions about their care. The staff in our clinics work with referring health providers to plan your health care needs and support your transition to our service with ease.

The centre currently runs transition clinics for some specialties which young people can start to visit from 16 years of age (the young adult gynaecology clinic will see younger patients). Mater health professionals will work closely with paediatric doctors, the patient, their families and their GP’s.

Our clinics are designed incorporating key principles of transition to support young people when transferring from paediatric to adult healthcare. Each of our specialty clinics tailors their service to include transition support appropriate for their young people.

Thrive is a Mater Young Adult Health Centre course that helps young people with chronic illness gain confidence to manage their chronic illness more effectively, and thrive (not just survive) in life.

The course comprises of six sessions held once a week over a six week period and allows participants to build essential life skills such as managing work or study, creating an active healthy lifestyle, and coping with everyday life.

Each session is facilitated by a different health professional (such as a nurse, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, or art therapist) who is highly skilled in working with young adults. Participants work at their own pace, and everyone is treated as an individual.

Thrive is run in small groups (6-8 participants) to allow young adults to meet new friends and connect with other young adults who attend Mater outpatient clinics.

The course is free, with all course materials and lunch provided at each session.

An individual or group approach to reducing anxiety by a tertiary qualified art therapist. Find out more about art therapist Kate Palmer here.

The Health advocacy legal clinic is serviced by a small team of law and social work university students who provide legal advice and support. Students at the clinic are fully supervised by qualified practitioners and can assist with matters such as advance care planning, disability support pensions and tenancy agreements. 

Please note, the team cannot provide assistance for family, criminal or complex commercial legal matters.