Status: Partially delivered and in progress
What the Royal Commission said
The Royal Commission recommended that the Victorian Government:
- Make sure people can access Local Mental Health and Wellbeing Services through a referral from a general practitioner or any other service provider. Or access these services through talking with the relevant service’s access and navigation support worker.
- Make sure people can access Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Services through a referral from a Local Mental Health and Wellbeing Service or through direct referral from a medical practitioner.
- Make sure people can access Statewide Mental Health and Wellbeing Services through a referral from an Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Service.
- Promote a website that provides clear, up-to-date information about Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing system. The website will be created with support from people with lived experience. It will help users to:
- understand their mental health needs
- identify services and supports across all relevant providers
- access online self-help resources.
- Work with the non-government helpline services it funds to improve helplines’ connections with mental health and wellbeing services. As well as to help people find and access treatment, care and support.
What we've achieved
Developing a new mental health and wellbeing website
- We have worked alongside people with lived and living experience to design the structure, look and key content of a new website, making sure it is easy to understand and reflects what matters to the community.
A new mental health and wellbeing access policy
- We have started planning and consultation to make it easier for people to access and enter Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing system. This work brings together Mental Health and Wellbeing Local Services, Area services and Statewide services, so people can find the right support more easily and receive more connected care.
- All Local Services have clear referral pathways in place with local GPs, other service providers, and Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Services, making it easier for people to move between services and get the support they need.
What we're doing
Developing a new mental health and wellbeing website
- We are continuing to work towards the new co-designed website, which will be a source of valuable information that helps people access the right services to support their care and recovery.
A new mental health and wellbeing access policy
- Development of the new, enhanced access and intake policy is progressing alongside other related reforms from the Royal Commission, including recommendations 8 , recommendation 09 and recommendation 10.
- We are working closely with design partners and listening to the voices of people with lived and living experience, as well as priority communities, to ensure the approach works for a wide range of people and is accessible to all.
- The new access policy will support consumers, families, supporters and carers to access the right services, when they need them, and in their own communities.
- Mental health and wellbeing services will provide coordinated care and support to consumers, families, supporters and carers as they access services and move through different levels of the system.
Improving helpline connections to mental health and wellbeing services
- We are supporting work to build better connections between state-funded helplines and the state’s mental health and wellbeing system by improving the communication pathways between existing helpline services.
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