Albury Wodonga Regional GP Network

Mental Health

BOMH - Better Outcomes in Mental Health

	Dennie Streller Mental Health Clinician Mental Health		Eva Goes Mental Health Clinician Mental Health
RESOURCES			Marc Williams Community Support Worker Mental Health for Drought Affected Communities

The Mental Health program can assist with:

Provision of co-located mental health clinicians under ATAPS (Access to Allied Psychological Services) or BAMHC (Better Access to Mental Health Care)
Assistance with referral to Psychologists and other Mental Health Professionals under the Better Access Initiative
Education and training events (eg level 2 training)
Secondary consultation regarding management of mental health care issues
Access to information (tip sheets, recourses, etc)

ATAPS - Access to Allied Psychological Services

GPs who are involved with the ATAPS program are able to refer patients to co-located mental health professionals who provide focused psychological strategies and support. The co-location of mental health professionals within practices allows for maximum communication, collaboration, continuity of care and overall support for GPs. ATAPS services are deliverable in up to 6 time-limited sessions with an option for a further 6 sessions following a mental health review by the referring GP; all at no cost to the patient.

BAMHCi - Better Access to Mental Health Care Initiative

This initiative aims to increase community access to GPs psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and other allied mental health professionals for mental health care. The Better Access initiative includes three new Medicare items for GPs providing mental health care:

2710 GP Mental Health Care Plan
2712 GP Mental Health Care Plan Review
2713 GP Mental Health Care Consultation

Better Access also provides GPs with new referral pathways

All GPs can refer patients who are being managed under a mental health care plan through Better Access to Clinical Psychologists, Psychologists, Social Workers and Occupational Therapists who are registered with Medicare Australia
All patients who are assessed as having a Mental Disorder as defined in the MBS are eligible for services under the initiative.

Mental Health for Drought Affected Communities Initiative

In response to the increasing mental health needs of rural communities impacted by drought, the Department of Health and Ageing has funded a program though the Divisions of General Practice serving the communities dealing with the psychological impacts of drought. The Albury Wodonga Regional GP Network was one of 45 divisions across Australia that has embraced this initiative.

The Division appointed a Community Support Worker in March 2008 to lead the division’s response to this issue. Program partners include Beyond Blue and AGPN.

The key activities associated with this initiative are:

To provide community outreach and crisis counselling.
To raise community awareness of mental health issues.
To provide education and training of mental health to local health workers, community leaders and community members.

Activities have included mapping and benchmarking activities; identifying and highlighting target communities and the existing service network. This process has led to the formation of collaborative working partnerships with key agencies including GSAHS, DPI-NSW and other government and non-government agencies.

Early success has been achieved through participation in community events and activities where mental health promotion and informal counselling sessions have been offered. This has proven an effective model to promote the initiative, engage individuals and establish relationships at a local level. A presence in this context has created numerous opportunities to further support and engage rural communities.

The CSW has also engaged in several training opportunities with the aim to utilise these skills to achieve the key aims of the initiative. Programs attended have included Mental Health First Aid Training and ‘No Bullshit Support’. These will now form part of the education and training opportunities available to drought affected rural communities.