Working alongside Head to Health services
The Australian Government provides funding for the national Head to Health Phone Service and Head to Health Clinics in Victoria. These services provide a welcoming place for people who may need help finding the right mental health support for themselves, and their loved ones.
These services can support people from all backgrounds with:
- new or existing mental health needs, and
- issues that affect their mental health and wellbeing, such as drug and alcohol use, or social and legal issues.
Medicare Mental Health Centres are also available in each state and territory. Read more about Medicare Mental Health Centres and their available locations.
How can Head to Health services support my patients?
The Head to Health Phone Service and Clinics are intended to complement, not replace, or duplicate, mental health services you already provide, or that are available in your local area.
Head to Health services are free for anyone living in Australia. When someone calls or visits a Head to Health service, a team member will work with them to best meet their individual needs.
Support may include:
- immediate mental health support for people in distress
- short to medium-term mental health care
- navigation or referral to the most appropriate service, including low-intensity, specialist or community-based services mental health services
- help connecting people to other services that support them into the future.
Where the person using the service provides consent, the outcome of their referral will be shared with their usual GP or referring provider.
Head to Health services are not designed to provide long term, ongoing mental health care.
Head to Health services do not provide:
- services for people who cannot be managed safely within the Head to Health service environment
- pathology, radiology, or pharmacy services
- ongoing, long-term psychosocial support or recreational services
- direct financial support
- residential or bed-based services, including short-stay services
- child and youth-specific services which could be provided more appropriately by headspace or similar organisations
- disability support services provided through the NDIS
- other services which are provided by other agencies in the area.
Head to Health services are staffed by qualified mental health professionals and people with lived experience of mental health. This may include psychologists, mental health nurses, social workers, alcohol and drug workers and peer workers.
Whether they visit face-to-face or call, Head to Health teams will listen to your patient to understand their concerns, and work with them to determine the most appropriate care options to achieve their goals. These teams will collaborate with you to support your patients onsite or through telehealth services.
Yes, as long as your patient provides their consent. The use of shared care plans through a patient’s mental health journey is encouraged.