text: West Berkshire Council is setting up an emotional health academy to train psychology graduates and health professionals.
  The local authority said, once trained, its staff will work with children, families and schools.
  It wants to greatly reduce the wait mental health patients face from 12 months to less than a week.
  The council also hopes the new academy will stop problems escalating to the stage where they require attention from more highly trained mental health specialists.
  Director of Children's Services Rachael Wardell said: "It works better if you get in there sooner, when people are waiting for help their condition gets worse.
  "There are lots more things you can do early on without needing to go to a very high-level with a psychologist or psychiatrist.
  "It is a way of bridging the gap."
  Plans were submitted to the Department of Health in October and the council hopes to launch the academy in April while contributing about Â£120,000 a year, with local schools matching its total.
  Local NHS commissioning groups could also contribute Â£100,000 a year and local businesses are being asked to help out financially as well.
target: A council plans to employ its own staff to help young people with mental health problems.