We provide specialist mental health assessment, care and treatment for people across several community-based locations in northern and western metropolitan Melbourne.
Key points
- We provide specialist mental health assessment and advice, connections with other healthcare providers and follow-up care
- This service is for people with a significant level of disturbance, psychosocial need or risk to themselves or others as a result of a mental illness
- We accept referrals from GPs and healthcare providers, as well as self-referrals and referral by family, carers and kin.
- Call Mental Health Triage on 1300 874 243 to discuss a new referral.
What we do
When a person is admitted to our Community Team, a key clinician and a treating doctor are allocated to work with them. Our Community Teams work in collaboration with the person, their GP, private psychiatrist, family, carers, supporters and other supports as appropriate. Together they work on a plan to support recovery.
Our Community Teams typically offer:
- In-person clinical assessment
- A joint recovery and wellness plan based on the needs and preferences of the consumer and their family or carer
- Clinical interventions (short or longer-term based on the person's needs)
- Care that likely includes a link to primary care supports, support for recovery, physical health screening, psychoeducation, short-term therapy, lived experience peer support and medication support
Consultation services for primary care providers
We also offer a consultative service to primary care providers to enhance their ability to recognise and treat mental health disorders in the community. Through this service, we provide:
- Specialist assessment, secondary consultation, advice and education
- Connections with other service providers
- Shared care with other health professionals
- Post-care for people who have completed an episode of care and are having intermittent follow-up, including phone calls and review appointments
Who can use our service
As a public clinical mental health service, our services are for people with a significant level of disturbance, psychosocial need or concern regarding a risk to themselves or others as a result of a mental illness. Common diagnoses treated by our services include but are not limited to:
- Schizophrenia
- First episode psychosis
- Bipolar disorder
- Severe personality disorder
- Severe depression or anxiety disorder
Entry criteria is consistent with those for all public acute mental health services.
Frequency
The type of support and intervention provided by our community teams depends on need. It can vary in duration from a few weeks to a much longer period of time.
Care is provided by a multidisciplinary team seven days a week, from morning to mid-evening.
Locations
Find out more about Community Team locations.
Referrals
We accept referrals for this service
Call Triage on 1300 874 243 to discuss a new referral.
If your patient is currently seeing a clinician at one of our clinics and you would like to discuss treatment or care plans, contact the appropriate local mental health service directly and ask to speak to the key clinician, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
For out of hours support, call Triage. If your patient is presenting in an emergency situation, call 000 for an immediate response.
Health professionals, consumers, carers and families can call Triage on 1300 874 243 to discuss a new referral to this service.
HealthPathways Melbourne provides guidance on best practice assessment and management of common medical conditions, including when and where to refer patients.
Parkville Connect is a secure web-based portal providing GPs, specialists and other health professionals with information in the Parkville electronic medical record (EMR).
Links & documents
Level 2
641 Mt Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds, Victoria
Level 2
641 Mt Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds, Victoria
Level 2
641 Mt Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds, Victoria