THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ROYAL CHILDRENS-HOSPITAL MENTAL-HEALTH-SERVICE VIDEOCONFERENCING PROJECT

In April 1995 the Royal Children's Hospital Mental Health Service in M elbourne piloted the use of videoconferencing in providing access for rural service providers and their clients to specialist child and adol escent psychiatric input. What began as a pilot project has in two yea rs become integrated into the service-delivery system for rural Victor ia. The experience of the service in piloting and integrating the use of videoconferencing to rural Victoria has been an important developme nt for child and adolescent mental health services in Australia.