Gna Ka Lun is an adolescent mental health unit based at Campbelltown Hospital. The name means 'healing of the mind' and was kindly given to the unit by an Aboriginal Elder of the Tharawal people.
The unit has ten beds for young people who are in need of short-term, mental health care. Young people are referred by mental health practitioners or NSW hospital emergency departments.
Learning Centre
When patients are admitted to GKL they have the opportunity to attend the Learning Centre which operates for three sessions each day. It is staffed by teachers and SLSOs from Rivendell School and provides patients with an opportunity to engage in educational activities during their hospital admission.
The Learning Centre teachers contact schools to advise them of the admission and to seek information about the student. The school counsellor who works at GKL may also contact the student’s school counsellor. All information will be forwarded to the medical team.
Schools are encouraged to provide work that enables patients to continue with their current school program.
Discharge
The psychiatrist and treating team decide when a patient is ready for discharge. Students are sometimes granted leave from the unit before their official discharge and, on occaision, will be integratedback to school during their admission. This will be done in close consultation with the school. Schools will be informed as soon as possible of the student's official discharge date and also advised of the contact details for the community support agency including the case manager. After discharge, schools are advised to contact the case manager about any queries regaring the student's ongoing needs.
Due to the nature of an acute hospital ward, it is quite possible that patients may be discharged on short notice and take up their right to return to school immediately and before Learning Centre staff can contact the census school.
Please Note: The students remain enrolled at their census school throughout admission.