Stepped care

Core to our mental health approach is to design and strengthen a primary mental health system that is aligned to a stepped care approach. The model which is based on putting patients’ needs first, was implemented in the Murray PHN region in March 2018. 

Stepped care is part of the Commonwealth Government’s mental health reform, that is aimed at providing the best possible care for people experiencing mental illness and to make that care available in a way that best suits individuals. 

Stepped care gives people the opportunity to step their care up, or step it down, depending on their health needs. It is not a one size fits all approach. It provides access to a range of care options that may be appropriate from time-to-time. 

The system supports disadvantaged individuals to access clinical mental health support close to home where possible, at no charge.  

Services that are funded by Murray PHN fall into three broad categories: 

• Psychological Therapy Services (PTS) – supporting people with mild to moderate mental illness. It provides brief interventions by qualified clinical and non-clinical staff. 
• Primary Mental Health Clinical Care Coordination (PMHCCC) – services for people with moderate to complex disorders requiring assertive support within a team approach. 
• Psychosocial Recovery Services – supporting people with a severe mental illness and associated psychosocial functional impairment to achieve their recovery goals. People who are not receiving support through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) are eligible for this program.  

For more information

To learn more about the services listed above go to our mental health webpage.