Department of Health

Key messages

  • Some people use mental health services from several areas or regions.
  • If a person receives treatment from an ‘out of area’ service, the AMHS in the person’s area of origin is responsible for ensuring service provision and continuity of care.

Some people use mental health services from several areas or regions. This raises potential problems in identifying which area mental health service (AMHS) is responsible for service provision, service funding and case management. All AMHS are responsible for assessing people who present with, or are at risk of developing, a serious mental illness or a severely disabling psychiatric condition. If a person who needs community-based treatment or admission is from out of area, the staff member assessing them must ensure that appropriate services are provided. Service providers will normally cooperate in the best interests of the person to ensure that they receive the services they require.

Reviewed 29 May 2015

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