Young people seeking support through primary care, mental health or alcohol and other drug (AOD) systems frequently face both substance use and mental health challenges. However, integrated support addressing both concerns remains the exception.

This webinar will explore clinical and research perspectives on the characteristics of youth presenting with co-occurring substance use and mental health conditions across different settings. It will also highlight approaches to integrated care and examine developmental factors that influence how these issues emerge, affect and progress in young people.

This webinar is offered by the Hamilton Centre in collaboration with Mental Health Victoria, Orygen and Parkville Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing Service (PYMHWS).

• Date: Wednesday, 25 February 2026

• Time: 12pm – 1pm (AEDT)

• Cost: Free

Learning objectives

• To know the principles of care for young people with co-occurring severe mental health and substance use issues and learn about youth-specific interventions.

• To be able to describe substance use and mental health characteristics in youth presenting via the mental health and AOD systems and understand recent research addressing potential approaches to integrated care in these settings.

Presenters

A/Prof Gill Bedi

A/Prof Gillinder Bedi is the Head of Substance Use Research at Orygen and Principal Research Fellow/Associate Professor (Addiction and Youth Mental Health) at the Centre for Youth Mental Health at the University of Melbourne. She is also a clinical psychologist at headspace, treating young people with substance use problems and comorbid mental illness. Her research seeks to understand substance use and substance use disorders (with a focus on young people), develop new early interventions and treatments for problematic substance use in youth and safely leverage the potential therapeutic effects of substances that are also ‘abused’ (e.g., MDMA).

Dr Enrico Cementon

Dr Enrico Cementon is a consultant psychiatrist with Parkville Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing Service (PYMHWS) and Honorary Principal Fellow in the Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne. He was previously the Victorian Director of Addiction Psychiatry training for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.

Enrico is active in maximizing the dual diagnosis capability of colleagues in different service sectors to better manage the needs of young people, patients and families. He commenced this important work in 2000 with the Victorian Dual Diagnosis Initiative and provided a witness statement for the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System in 2020. His passion and commitment for dual diagnosis capability continue to this day. He trains students and medical and allied health staff in addiction and dual diagnosis issues on a regular basis.

Dr Sonya Morrissey

Dr Sonya Morrissey is a GP working in the northwest of Melbourne and since 2021 has worked across five headspace centres in that region for which Orygen is the lead agency. Her role in the headspace centres combines direct clinical work with young people, overseeing clinical processes for GPs in the centres and supervising GP registrars completing extended skills placements. She also has a role with Parkville Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Service as Physical Health Lead, developing processes to support the physical and sexual health of young people while they are engaged with that service. Sonya works as a GP advisor with the headspace National Office and is passionate about improving access to primary health services for young people with mental health difficulties. She believes that GPs have a vital role to play in their care.

Moderator

Annie Williams, Hamilton Centre Relationship and Partnership Lead.

Annie is a highly experienced Registered Nurse who has worked in clinical leadership and project management roles. She is committed to continuous improvement, advocacy and equitable service delivery. Annie holds a master’s qualification in Pain Management and has collaborated extensively with the Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) sector.