Recommendation 07

What the Royal Commission said

The Royal Commission recommended that the Victorian Government:

• Ensure mental health and wellbeing services provide three ‘needs identification and initial support’ functions:
  1. access and navigation support
  2. initial support discussions
  3. comprehensive needs assessment and planning discussions
• Ensure these functions are delivered based on a philosophy of ‘how can we help?’ to enable people to be supported from their first to their last contact with mental health and wellbeing services.

What are the opportunities?

In conjunction with Recommendation 6 , there is the opportunity to ensure:

• Consumers, families and carers tell their story once and experience a ‘warm referral’ as they move through different levels of the system.
• Consumers, families, carers are supported to access the right services when they need them, and in their own communities.
• Mental health and wellbeing services are integrated and seamlessly connect consumers through different system levels.
• Access policy and updated triage guidelines are appropriate for all ages and diverse communities, and supports consumers to receive timely treatment, care and support at the required level of intensity.

What we've achieved

A new mental health and wellbeing access policy

• Access and Intake policy and guidelines have been developed after extensive consultation. This policy will guide Victoria’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Local Services , Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Services and Statewide Mental Health and Wellbeing Services on providing an appropriate and responsive approach through all areas of the service system.
• The policy will guide services on expectations relating to service navigation, referral pathways and seamless transitions between levels of the mental health and wellbeing system.

What we're doing

A new mental health and wellbeing access policy

• Work is now underway to finalise and implement the access and intake policy and guidelines to support a more connected mental health and wellbeing system.
• The new access and intake 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 consumers, families, supporters and carers as they access services and move through different levels of the system.