Shaking Up the Delivery of Traditional Mental Health Services. Several primary health care organizations (PHCOs) have established a central referral point or “one stop shop” to help primary care practices connect their patients to community-based mental health and/or substance abuse services
1. AML Alliance gratefully acknowledges the financial and other support of the Australian Government Department of Health.
Healthy Minds:
Partnering to improve access,
integration and efficiency in primary
mental health care
5. CSO Name Location/s Client Group
Nortec Employment & Training Ballina, Lismore, Grafton Disadvantaged and disabled job seekers
Bullinah Aboriginal Health
Service
Lismore, Cabbage Tree
Island
Aboriginal community from Ballina and
surrounds
Heartfelt House Wollongbar Adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse
Rekindle the Spirit Lismore
Aboriginal people, mainly women,
suffering from overcrowding / family
violence, or dealing with child protection
issues
Youth Connections Lismore
Young people who are homeless or at
risk of homelessness
The Winsome Hotel & Soup
Kitchen
Lismore Marginalised and homeless people
Casino Aboriginal Medical
Service
Casino
Aboriginal community from Casino and
surrounds
Casino Family Support Service Casino
Disadvantaged children, young people
and their families
Clarence River Women’s
Refuge and Outreach Service
Grafton
Women and children escaping domestic
and family violence
New School of Arts
Neighbourhood House
Grafton Disadvantaged and vulnerable children
Coffs Harbour Support
Services
Coffs Harbour People with a disability
6. CSO Name Location/s Client Group
Early Childhood Intervention
Program
Coffs Harbour
Pre-school aged children with
developmental delays or other disabilities
CHESS Coffs Harbour Jobseekers with a disability
ETC Enterprise & Training Coffs Harbour, Kempsey Jobseekers
Warrina Women’s & Children’s
Refuge
Coffs Harbour
Women and children escaping domestic
violence
Bellingen Neighbourhood
Centre
Bellingen, Dorrigo
Vulnerable young people with mental
health or sexual health issues
YP Space Kempsey
Young people 14-25 who are homeless
or at risk of homelessness
Domestic & Family Violence
Specialist Service
Port Macquarie
Women and children escaping domestic
violence
New Horizons Tweed Heads
Homeless people and jobseekers with a
disability
The Family Centre Tweed Heads, Pottsville Vulnerable children and families
Murwillumbah Community
Centre
Murwillumbah Homeless and at risk of homelessness
Fred’s Place Tweed Heads Homeless
7. Eric Van den Bosche
Clinical Psychologist
Co-located Murwillumbah Community Centre
Kylie Dowse
Port Macquarie Domestic Violence Service
Michael Edmondson
Registered Psychologist
Co-located The Family Centre
I’m Megan Lawrance Program Manager for Healthy Minds at North Coast Medicare Local.
Healthy Minds is a mental health program delivered from the NSW/ QLD border down to Port Macquarie, where I am based.
Medicare Locals, commonwealth funding access, quality, integration
Approach in mental health
Aim to demonstrate we can integrate without a cent
I will begin by giving you some background information about the Medicare Local, and the specific funding sources which are used for this program. I will then talk about the process used to develop and implement Healthy Minds, and about how the model has achieved improved access, integration and efficiency, then finally, I’ll share with you some of our key learnings through this process.
narrow area, its length is more than 500km
a long way.
sees higher than average psychological distress
lower rates mental health services
higher levels of socio-economic disadvantage
challenging and important fields
Two key funding sources primary care space Better Access and ATAPS.
Although small differences both aimed low to moderate, both GP referral, and both10 sessions of focussed psychological strategies delivered by mental health professionals.
Better Access universally available Medicare Benefits Schedule anyone diagnosis whereas
ATAPS distributed via Medicare Locals
our job make sure improves access for people who can’t access Better Access.
year ago started think about access & how improve it for people who need it the most.
seemed if someone wherewithall GP, could access Better Access, weren’t really the people we most wanted to help.
dilemma… how use ATAPS (GP referral),support people don’t know need help, transport or funds see GP first place?
Evaluations Better Access after all not reach low income
So first thing ask.
interviewed 15 and 20 PP what system need provide support particularly vulnerable
Team provide psychosocial couldn’t as PP.
Plenty organisations
talked to them - desperate expertise MHP
EOI process across region
these some org responded –more over page
35 in 70+ sites
then EOI PMHPs
helped interview process suitable team, client group.
benefits of this arrangement?
hoping organisations private practitioners co-present their perspective
Instead, managed catch conversations camera.
35 in 70+ sites
then EOI PMHPs
helped interview process suitable team, client group.
benefits of this arrangement?
hoping organisations private practitioners co-present their perspective
Instead, managed catch conversations camera.
35 in 70+ sites
then EOI PMHPs
helped interview process suitable team, client group.
benefits of this arrangement?
hoping organisations private practitioners co-present their perspective
Instead, managed catch conversations camera.
So, let me introduce you to some of our fabulous stakeholders in this program. Eric Van den Bosche is a clinical psychologist, and was selected to work with the Murwillumbah Community Centre. The Community Centre provides a number of services, including housing support for people are homeless, and is located in a park in the centre of Murwillumbah which is home to a number of these people. Kylie Dowse is the Service Manager at the Domestic Violence Service in Port Macquarie, and we have had a private practitioner working with them for a number of months now. Michael Edmonson has been located at the The Family Centre in Tweed Heads and Murwillumbah for around 6 months. The Family Centre supports vulnerable children and families, particularly where children are at risk of removal for their parents’ care.
cost reduction ML arrangement.
organisation provide room free of charge PP no overheads.
reduce payment PPs by proportion similar overhead payment –average 30%.
decided match rate Better Access. PP isn’t disadvantaged bulk-bill clients. allows unlimited number people seen within organisations.