Murray PHN commissions primary mental health, psychosocial recovery and alcohol and other drug services for people located across the Murray PHN catchment. Since March 2018, all services have been aligned with a Stepped Model of Care approach, meaning that people receive care that’s tailored to their individual needs – stepping it up or stepping it down as needed. There is a ‘no wrong door’ approach to accessing these services.
Free to health professionals in our region, Murray HealthPathways has an up-to-date list of providers, eligibility and referral information, along with more than 40 mental health and alcohol and other drug referral pathways.
Doctors who want to refer people to psychiatric triage services, can do so by phoning the appropriate number:
The Primary Mental Health Services Guidelines outline the scope, eligibility requirements, clinical governance obligations and workforce requirements specific to the provision of services.
PTS provides services for adults (and children and young people) with a clinical diagnosis of mild or moderate mental illness who would benefit from short term, focused psychological therapy. Sessions are provided by a qualified mental health professional, and people should have a mental health review by the referring GP after every six sessions if ongoing treatment is required.
Criteria for referral: Generalist PTS
People who are less able to pay fees
People who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness
People living in rural and remote communities
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities (CALD)
People with an intellectual disability
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Criteria for referral: Specialist PTS
People who have self-harmed or attempted suicide or are at risk of suicide
Children under the age of 12 with, or at risk of, developing a mental disorder
Women with perinatal depression
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
A GP Mental Health Treatment Plan is required when a referral is made, although clients (such as those experiencing homelessness) will not be precluded from the service in the absence of a treatment plan.
Better Access enables up to 10 sessions in a year. It requires a mental health treatment plan and should be the first option considered by GPs for focused psychological therapy. PTS is designed for clients who have difficulty accessing Better Access (e.g. due to low income, rural and remote or hard to reach groups).
PMHCCC provides clinical care coordination for clients with a severe mental illness, aiming to reduce the likelihood of hospital admissions and improve their physical health through assessment, management and onward referral, in collaboration with other members of the health care team.
People must have a:
diagnosed mental health disorder (ICD 10 or DSM 5) which significantly impacts their social, personal and work life; and
previous hospital admission for their disorder or be at risk of needing future hospitalisation without appropriate treatment.
A GP Mental Health Treatment Plan is required when a referral is made, although clients (such as those experiencing homelessness) will not be precluded from the service in the absence of a treatment plan.
Psychosocial support is a term used to describe programs and activities which are designed to support people with severe mental illness and associated psychosocial disability to achieve their recovery goals.
People may be eligible for Murray PHN-funded psychosocial supports if they:
have a severe mental illness that has an impact on their psychosocial functional capacity
are aged 16 years or older
have needs that are responsive to low intensity support and can be appropriately met within three to 12 months.
Consumers who are eligible for the NDIS and state funded psychosocial supports should be supported to access these programs where appropriate.
Murray PHN acknowledges its catchment crosses over many unceded First Nations Countries, following the Dhelkunya Yaluk (Healing River).
We pay our respects and give thanks to the Ancestors, Elders and Young people for their nurturing, protection and caregiving of these sacred lands and waterways, acknowledging their continuing cultural, spiritual and educational practices.
We are grateful for the sharing of Country and the renewal that Country gives us. We acknowledge and express our sorrow that this sharing has come at a personal, spiritual and cultural cost to the wellbeing of First Nations peoples. We commit to addressing the injustices of colonisation across our catchment, and to listening to the wisdom of First Nations communities who hold the knowledge to enable healing. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
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