working collaboratively Flashcards
The vic mh system is comprised of….
– Public and private sectors;
– Government and non-government funded services;
– Hospital and community-based services.
how can consumers be referred to a service?
Individuals can be referred to a service by a professional (GP, psychologist, etc.), a friend/family member, or the consumer themselves (whoever suggests to the consumer to seek mental health support)
3 things mh services provide for people in need…
- Assessment
- Treatment
- Support
a large number of GPs lack skills in MH Ax. due to
- A lack of interest in MH issues
– A lack of training
Barriers to accessing MH services through a GP
Declining rates of bulk-billing (limits ability to access GP care)
– MH Ax’s are lengthy (GPs have limited time for consultations)
– Difficulties accessing GPs at short-notice during a crisis
psychiatric assessment
- Identifying a person’s current mental state/situation
- Conducting a risk assessment
- Collecting relevant personal, social/family, and psychiatric Hx.
Usually done for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment planning
– Asks: Why here? Why now?
– Enables selection of the most appropriate form of treatment for
– the consumer
Crisis Ax. & Tx. team (CATT)
Service available 24 hours
Provide community-based urgent assessment and short-term treatment intervention for people experiencing psychiatric crisis
– Also work within hospital EDs (onsite presence)
– Key role in deciding most appropriate treatment option/screening potential inpatient admissions
Aim to prevent unnecessary hospitalisation by providing treatment in the person’s own environment (i.e. in the community)
BUT…will arrange admission if this is the most suitable option
Multidisciplinary teams
Area MH services are composed of multidisciplinary teams
– Comprise members from a range of disciplines working in parallel
– Can include professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, OTs, and psychiatric nurses
benefit of multidisciplinary teams
Each professional can contribute a different perspective as a results of their training (knowledge) and specific skillset
Dual Disability
The occurrence of a mental illness and an intellectual disability at the same time in the same individual
Dual diagnosis
The occurrence of a mental illness AND a substance abuse disorder/addiction concurrently in the same individual
Case Managers
Any MH professional employed by a MH service
– Note: Are not necessarily professionals who have had extensive, specialist training as case managers
A case manager is responsible for:
– Coordinating all aspects of a consumer’s care
– Acting on behalf of the consumer to ensure good service delivery on the road to recovery
– Ensuring that the consumer receives a comprehensive Ax.
– Working with other members of the treating team to prepare an individual service (treatment) plan
- Acting as the primary contact person for consumers/carers in their interactions with a MH service (or multiple services)
Assessment order
the first step to initiating compulsory mental health treatment. A registered medical practitioner or a mental health practitioner may make an Assessment order if they have examined the person and are satisfied that the criteria for an Assessment order apply to the person
criteria for getting an assessment order
- The person appears to have mental illness (MI)
- The MI appears to need immediate treatment to prevent:
- Serious deterioration in mental/physical health
- Serious harm to self or other people - There is no less restrictive means reasonably available to enable the person to be assessed
- Assessment must be conducted by a psychiatrist within 24 hrs
Temporary treatment order
A Temporary treatment order enables an authorised psychiatrist to provide compulsory treatment to a person to whom the treatment criteria apply. A Temporary treatment order also enables a patient: to be treated in the community. to be taken to and detained and treated in a designated mental health service.
criteria for a temporary treatment order
. The person has a MI (must be certain)
2. Due to the MI, the person needs immediate treatment to prevent:
– Serious deterioration in mental/physical health
– Serious harm to self or other people
3. There is no less restrictive means reasonably available to enable the person to be assessed
– Duration of a Temporary Treatment Order is max of 28 days, unless revoked earlier
treatment order
mandatory treatment (including up to 6 months inpatient, or 12 months community treatment) that is enforced by a tribunal
Involuntary Patient Rights
- Appeal to the Mental Health Review Board
- A second opinion
- Legal advice
- Contact people by letter or telephone (visitors are also allowed)
- Complain about their treatment
Mobile Support and Treatment Service (MSTS)
- More complex care
- A multidisciplinary community-based outreach service; 7 days/week
• Work closely with PDRSS - Supports and treats consumers who:
• Have prolonged and severe MI (& associated high-level disability)
• Have experienced multiple psychiatric crises
• Are at risk of readmission to hospital without this support
challenges associated with the mh system
– Takes time, effort, knowledge, and resources for consumers/ families/ carers to navigate the system
Poor continuity of care within the MH system due to:
• Consumers changing services or moving to a new area
• Changes in case managers/practitioners (high turnover/burn out) Challenges associated with the MH system
- Service systems often don’t take into account the overlapping nature of MH and social issues (e.g. housing, employment)
• Focus only on the MH issue (eg. Financial issues)
- Remote and rural areas are particularly disadvantaged
• Unacceptably long waiting times for consumers to access MH services this also occurs in metro areas
policy levels associated with achieving good mh
funding
service availability/accessibility
interpersonal levels associated with achieving good mh
support from family & friends
community levels associated with receiving good mh
stigma
metro vs rural
personal level associations with receiving a good mh
culture gender personality/attitude recognition of mh needs willingness to engage
