There are two mental health teams at the institute; mental health team for 18 and over, and children's and youth team.
Mental health team
The mental health team of the Vestfjörður Health Center has been active since April 1, 2020 and is located on the third floor of the Vestfjörður Health Center in Ísafjörður.
The team's services are for individuals aged 18 and over who struggle with mental distress and/or are diagnosed with a mental illness and need multidisciplinary assistance and close follow-up. A person must have a diagnosed mental disorder, live with mental distress or a condition that impairs his/her ability to quality of life, emotional and/or social relationships, participation in studies or work, or activity in society in other respects.
HVEST's mental health team's services are based on empowerment and recovery philosophy, which consists in supporting service users in their personal recovery process.
Aims and purposes include:
- To promote and maintain recovery
- To ensure individualized service
- Ensuring continuity and integration in treatment
- To promote the psychological and social health of the individual and his family
- To encourage self-help and self-respect
- To support the individual in living a meaningful life
- To reduce the number of readmissions and strengthen adaptability after hospital discharge
Available is:
- Individualized talk therapy
- Support to increase social functioning and restore social roles
- Regular education regarding various mental symptoms, a person's basic needs and the effects of trauma, for example
- Group therapy in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Education and support for the individual and his family
- Assessment of mental and physical condition, residence and service needs
- Evaluation of drug therapy
- Recommendations on where to get further support and education
Staff and role of the mental health team
HVest's mental health team is a multidisciplinary team that includes:
-Thelma Björk, team manager/social advisor MA(100%)
-Aron Haukur, senior psychologist (100%)
-Hugrún, alcohol and drug counselor (100%),
-Eva Rós, occupational therapist (100%),
-Sandra Borg, speech therapist (50%) and
-Georg, doctor with a background in psychiatry (25%)
In addition, emphasis is generally placed on motivation in terms of activity and exercise, and HVest's exercise manager Unnur has approached the team's clients for that purpose.
The mental health team is flexible in that it has individual case management but shares responsibility for the user group that is in greatest need of services.
The service is carried out through interviews at the mental health team's facilities or via teleconferencing equipment, depending on what is considered appropriate in each case. The team covers the entire country and has a regular presence at Patreksfjörður. The number of interviews is individual, depending on the health and condition of the service user, which factors to work with in treatment, but also depends on the discretion of the team's staff. The service is temporary, but is based on a maximum of 12 months.
As appropriate, it is possible to refer the team's clients to specific teams within Landspítali. It is a collaborative project with the aim of increasing access to the specialized services of Landspítali in rural areas, but treatment is carried out via remote equipment located at HVest. The teams in question are:
- Depression and anxiety team (ÞOK)
- Eating Disorder Team
- Trauma team
- Bipolar team
- Trans team
HVest's mental health team is not intended to handle emergency cases, but efforts must be made to meet the needs of new service users as soon as possible. In the case of an emergency, you should always go to the emergency department of Landspítal's psychiatric department.
It is also worth noting that the Mental Health Team is not a diagnostic team and if the service user is only in need of drug treatment due to, for example, ADHD, they are referred to the ADHD team of the Health Center of the Capital Region.
The team encourages professionals to send inquiries to the team, as one of the team's roles is to advise other professionals. Inquiries can be sent to thelma@hvest.is
Price for the services of a mental health team
The services of the mental health team are free of charge to clients, but it is part of ensuring that everyone can use the resource.
Service on the southern side of the Vestfjörður
The mental health team of the health institute serves all residents of Vestfjörður and is therefore regularly present in Patreksfjörður, as well as remote interviews are available in between.
How to apply for services?
Referrals are accepted from health and welfare professionals.
Health care professionals send a referral electronically through Saga.
Other professionals use this form: Referral to the mental health team of the Vestfjörður Institute of Health.
It is important that the reference is well filled out so that its position can be taken. The form is filled out electronically, printed out and sent by registered post to the Mental Health Team of the Vestfjörður Health Institute, Torfnesi, 400 Ísafjörður.
If you have questions or if you want more information, you can contact Thelma Björk, project manager of the mental health team, by phone 862 7424 or to the email address thelma@hvest.is.
Telehealth solutions are well suited in many cases.
Children and youth team
The child and adolescent mental health team serves children and families with problems, such as emotional problems, social problems, developmental abnormalities and/or behavioral difficulties. The team leader is Helena Hrund Jónsdóttir, a nurse.
Meetings with the team are held every four weeks, with healthcare, school, child protection and social services taking part. The team is intended to formulate a plan that includes treatment, support or other resources to coordinate services and activities between agencies. Consultation meetings of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Team of the Vestfjörður Health Foundation and the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department of Landspítal are held once a month with a psychiatrist and social worker, and contact is made with psychiatrists and nurses there as needed.
Reference to the team
Health care, social services, child protection and school can send a referral to the team. Referrals should be sent to the team leader. Parents can contact health care if concerns arise about children.
Children's psychological services
Parents who want psychological services for children can contact the health care provider, doctor or nurse, who will refer the matter on.
Helena Hrund Jónsdóttir, nurse, takes care of referrals and bookings.
A child is allocated 5-10 hours with a psychologist and the situation is then re-evaluated by a psychologist, team leader of the child and adolescent mental health team in consultation with parents.
You are always welcome to contact the team manager of the children's and youth mental health team at the email address helena@hvest.is or call the health care by phone
450 4500 and leave a message.
Updated 10 June 2024 (HEP)