Adult Community Mental Health

How to refer your patient

Referrals must be made to Mental Health Regional Triage Service 1300 363 788.

It provides 24-hour access to mental health services across the region and is the single point of initial contact.

Referring persons are asked to provide the following information:

Any recent presentation/concerns and any new findings and recent medical investigations (Pathology, neurological testing/reports, Histology and Medical Imaging).

A list of current medications (if prescribed), relevant patient history, relevant family history, any other information pertinent and that may assist in decision making with patient, family/carer about their care and treatment.

Primary Mental Health to Clinical Service Overview

Our case management service provides tertiary level community-based treatment for people with more severe forms of mental illness or mental disorders, including providing support and continuing care services to people with a mental illness. The length of time case management services are provided to a person varies according to clinical need. Case management services may be involved with people for extended periods of time or may provide more episodic care.

We are an integrated multidisciplinary team who provide assertive outreach and intensive rehabilitation and support. Service inclusion is relevant to the level of impact, contextual factors and diagnosis of a mental illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, severe personality disorders, eating disorders or severe depression and disabling anxiety disorders.

Service exclusions include people where substance use is the presenting concern and treatment needs can be met in the AOD setting and primary care sectors, high prevalence disorders, such as mild depressive disorders, generalized anxiety disorders and adjustment disorders where patients can be managed by MHCSS or through a Mental Health Care Plan through the GP and/or a psychologist/counsellor in the community.

A range of interventions is likely to be required as part of the treatment and recovery phase of which case management is a key function. The lead clinicians coordinate services, facilitate implementation of the treatment plan and work with the patients, families and carers in providing integrated.

We have a multidisciplinary team that includes: Psychiatrist and Psychiatry Registrar, Mental Health Nurses, Social Workers, Occupational Therapists.

Within the Bendigo Adult Community Mental Health Service Team the following programs are run: Forensic Specialist Clinician, post Discharge Peer Support Work Program, Clopine Clinic Mental Health and Response Service (MHARS).

Co-located within the same setting as BACMHT is the Primary Mental Health Team (PMHT). The PMH team offers assessment for people with non-urgent, low risk mental health problems, those who experience anxiety, depression, an eating disorder or a related mental health problem.

PMHT also provides advice and consultation to other services such as GPs to support them in the care they deliver.

The GP support clinic
The GP clinic runs weekly at JBC. This clinic is to support GP’s who are wanting a Psychiatrist opinion in relation to either diagnostic clarification, medication or direction in the management of patients. This is a one off appointment.

Annual Review Clinic
The ARC runs twice a month for past patients of the service. This clinic is held by a Psychiatrist who will provide recommendations back to the GP in relation to ongoing patient care.

All referrals for the above programs are via Regional Triage Service (RTS) and need an accompanying GP letter of referral.

Regional Services