A new mental health multidisciplinary team program (MH MDT) is being launched in areas across the Great South Coast, Wimmera-Grampians and Ballarat regions.
Funded by the Australian Government for the next three years, and supported by Western Victoria Primary Health Network (WVPHN), the service is being delivered by Mind Australia in the Great South Coast and Ballarat Community Health in Wimmera-Grampians and Ballarat.
Once established, the program will include the co-location of mental health clinicians within primary care services to enhance the coordination of care for individuals accessing the service, and to build interprofessional capacity within the primary care setting. The MH MDT is intended to provide intensive and longer-term clinical care, with mental health clinicians working with primary care providers to safely support people with complex mental health needs in the community.
MH MDT clinicians will work in conjunction with primary care providers to deliver mental health supports for a period of up to two years. Service users will be connected with a qualified clinician and have access to care coordination, psychological therapies and psychosocial support through the program. Primary care providers will have the benefit of having a co-located mental health clinician within their practice for collaboration, coordination and mental health expertise.
Eligible people must have severe and/or complex mental health needs, where their illness may be episodic or persistent and has a high impact on their day-to-day lives.
Intended outcomes from this program include a more integrated and coordinated care experience for people with severe and complex mental health needs, as well as the development and retention of a larger and more sustainable workforce, reduced wait times and improved accessibility of clinical mental health services.
The MH MDT program was part of a grant opportunity released by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. The grant opportunity is intended to strengthen the ability of general practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) to ensure ongoing support and continuity of care via multidisciplinary services.
In the 2024-25 Budget, the Australian Government committed $71.3 million over three years for this purpose. This grant opportunity provides funding to a select number of Primary Health Networks (PHNs) to support the establishment of mental health multidisciplinary services in primary care settings.
MH MDT services will complement clinical treatment services provided under the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the Medicare Benefits Schedule (Better Access) initiative and/or other complementary services.
If you are a mental health clinician or GP and would like to learn more about this opportunity contact:
Mind Australia – [email protected] or [email protected]
Ballarat Community Health – [email protected]
You can read more on our Mental Health Multidisciplinary Services Program webpage.