Mental health triage - home

Mental health triage is the process of initial assessment to determine a person’s need for mental health services and the nature and urgency of the required response.

Mental health triage services in Victoria are being redeveloped in the context of the Victorian Government’s Because mental health matters: Victorian mental health reform strategy 2009-2019. Building clear, easy-to-access pathways to mental health care for the Victorian community is a priority.  This includes a shift in the orientation of mental health triage from that of ‘gatekeeper’ to the specialist mental health service system to a ‘referral portal’ that proactively links people to the right care and supports local referral agencies and service networks.

The reforms lay the foundations for a triage/intake system that is able to deliver evidence-based best practice triage assessment, including better integration of social, health and clinical risk assessments, for all age groups.

Mental health triage – January 2005 (Program management circular)

This project management circular outlines policies and procedures to assist area mental health clinicians to make appropriate and consistent triage decisions.