Joint Regional Mental Health
and Suicide Prevention Partnership
Working together to improve mental health across the North Coast
One of the key priorities of our Memorandum of Understanding with Northern NSW and Mid North Coast Local Health Districts is to improve mental health, suicide prevention and alcohol and other drug outcomes across the North Coast.
The partnership recognises that no single organisation can meet the growing mental health needs of our communities alone. By working together as ’one health system’, we are creating a more connected, coordinated and person-centred mental health system that improves how people access and experience care.
The Joint Regional Mental Health, Suicide Prevention and Alcohol and Other Drugs Plan (JRP) provides the shared roadmap for achieving this vision across Northern NSW and the Mid North Coast.
Why we work together
People may receive support from hospitals, general practice, community mental health services, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, non-government organisations and other health providers throughout their care journey. This partnership aims to improve how these services work together, making it easier for people to access the right care, at the right time, in the right place.
By planning together, sharing information and coordinating investment, partners can reduce fragmentation, strengthen local services and better respond to the needs of communities across the region.
Our shared vision
Together we are working towards a connected regional mental health system where people:
- experience coordinated, person-centred care
- can access services earlier and closer to home
- receive culturally safe and equitable care
- move more easily between services
- have improved mental health and wellbeing throughout their lives.
Guiding principles
The partnership is underpinned by shared principles that guide planning, commissioning and service delivery across the region.
6 priority areas
Regional priority areas
Better access and integrated care
Improve coordination between primary care, hospitals, community services and specialist providers so people experience seamless care across the health system.
Priority populations
Improve access and outcomes for people who experience poorer mental health outcomes or barriers to care.
Alcohol and other drugs
Strengthen prevention, treatment, recovery and harm reduction services through a coordinated regional approach.
Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing
Partner with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and communities to improve culturally safe services and strengthen Aboriginal-led models of care.
Suicide prevention
Improve prevention, crisis response, aftercare and postvention services while strengthening community capability and resilience.
Workforce
Develop a sustainable, skilled and supported workforce that can respond to current and future community needs.
Priority populations
The partnership focuses on improving outcomes for communities who experience greater health inequities or barriers to accessing services, including:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- children and young people
- older people
- people living in rural and remote communities
- people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage
- culturally and linguistically diverse communities
- LGBTQIA+ communities
- people living with severe and persistent mental illness
- people with co-occurring mental health and alcohol and other drug needs
- families, carers and people with lived and living experience.
Governance and accountability
Healthy North Coast, Northern NSW Local Health District and Mid North Coast Local Health District work together through regional governance groups and implementation working groups to oversee delivery of the Joint Regional Plan.
Progress is monitored through:
- annual action plans
- quarterly implementation reporting
- shared performance measures
- evaluation and continuous improvement
- ongoing engagement with partners and communities.
Measuring success
Success is measured by improvements across the regional mental health system, including:
- improved access to mental health services
- stronger integration between primary care, hospitals and community services
- better consumer and carer experiences
- increased access to culturally safe care
- earlier intervention and prevention
- reduced duplication across services
- improved health and wellbeing outcomes for North Coast communities.
