Victorian Health Services Performance

The Victorian Government is committed to improving access to clinical treatment and psychiatric disability support for people with a mental illness. Specialist state funded mental health services are aimed primarily at people with serious mental illness or mental disorder who have associated significant levels of disturbance and psychosocial disability due to their illness or disorder.

Key performance measures for mental health services include service hours provided, 28 day readmission rates, post discharge follow up and seclusion rates.

How do I access a specialist clinical mental health service?

Mental health services are provided at metropolitan and regional hospitals to children and young people, adults and older people and are on an area service basis.

When a person first makes contact with, or is referred to, an Area Mental Health Service a triage clinician will conduct a preliminary clinical assessment of whether they are likely to have a mental illness or disorder, and the nature and urgency of the response required.

Where a mental health triage assessment indicates that specialist mental health services are required, a more comprehensive assessment is provided through the intake assessment. The intake assessment may result in referral to another organisation and/or the person being treated within the specialist mental health service.

For further information about accessing a publically funded mental health service go to Victoria's Mental Health Services