The National Health and Medical Research Council has released a series of new clinical practice guidelines to help diagnose and treat mental health problems.

 

The guidelines identify depression in young adults and women approaching the birth of children to be those most at risk from suffering mental illnesses.

 

The guidelines, developed by Beyond Blue, are predominately targeted at assisting mental health professionals care for adolescents and young adults aged between 13 and 24. The second guideline will aim at assisting primary and maternity care health professionals improve the quality of life for those under their care.

 

The "beyondblue Clinical Practice Guideline: Depression in Adolescents and Young Adults and Clinical Practice Guidelines for depression and related disorders – anxiety, bipolar disorder and puerperal psychosis – in the perinatal period" can be found here