The Department of Health, Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria have developed shared protocols. They guide responses to people experiencing mental illness or mental health crisis in the community.
The protocols support a coordinated response under the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 (the Act).
The protocols support a health-led approach to mental health crisis response and transport. This follows Recommendation 10 of the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System.
The protocols outline the roles and responsibilities of authorised responders under the Act.
They provide guidance on:
- a health-led and least restrictive response
- when and how to request help from other services
- the different powers and responsibilities of authorised persons when
- transporting a person experiencing mental illness
- responding to a mental health crisis in the community. This includes taking a person into care and control.
Protocols
Department of Health and Victoria Police protocol for responses to people with mental illness or experiencing a mental health crisis
This protocol outlines the roles, responsibilities and procedures for:
- police
- protective services officers (PSOs)
- mental health clinicians
- paramedics; and
- authorised health professionals under the Act.
Read this protocol along with the Ambulance Victoria protocol for mental health crisis response and transport.
Ambulance Victoria protocol for mental health crisis responses and transport for people with mental illness
This protocol outlines the roles, responsibilities and procedures for:
- paramedics
- ambulance Victoria staff
- mental health clinicians; and
- authorised health professionals under the Act.
Read this protocol along with the Department of Health and Victoria Police protocol for responses to people with mental illness or experiencing a mental health crisis.
Clinical fact sheet
The Mental Health Clinician Responsibilities in Mental Health Crisis Responses and Transport fact sheet outlines responsibilities of Mental health clinicians in mental health crisis responses and transport. It describes how mental health clinicians coordinate health-led, safe, timely and least restrictive responses to people experiencing mental illness or a mental health crisis.
Updated