Healthy North Coast would like to remind health professionals of the preferred pathway for referring consumers into community mental health services via Medicare Mental Health.
This service is part of a statewide approach to improve access and navigation of mental health and treatment services. Medicare Mental Health offers a link to a centralised intake and assessment team, who provide specialist person-centred support, with referrals made via Healthy North Coast’s local Referral team.
How to refer to Medicare Mental Health services
Referrals can be made in one of two ways:
- Phone (24/7): Call 1800 595 212
- e-Referral: Submit online via hnc.org.au/mental-health-supporting-your-patients
When submitting a referral, you are required to include a comprehensive mental health assessment, including completion of an Initial Assessment Referral Decision Support Tool (IAR-DST). If an assessment is made via the e-referral that is incomplete, the Medicare Mental Health team will conduct an assessment on your behalf, to determine the most appropriate level of care.
What happens next?
Following assessment, consumers will be referred an appropriate service to meet their needs. Depending on the intensity or level of care required, they may be referred to:
- PHN-commissioned and other community based mental health and social services (e.g. Healthy Minds, Healthy Hub Connect) that are local to the consumer/client.
- Virtual supports (e.g. Virtual Psychology Clinic, virtual psychiatry, Digital CBT Program).
- Digital health solutions for low intensity support needs (e.g.: SANE)
Why refer to Medicare Mental Health?
- Supports connection to stepped care services
- Reduces unnecessary ED presentations
- Simplifies access to comprehensive mental health supports
- Enables collaboration between GPs, PHNs, and state services
- Offers 24/7 support and no wrong door access
- Frees up clinician time through a streamlined referral process
Can I still refer directly to some services?
Yes. Some programs may continue to accept direct referrals (e.g. Medicare Mental Health Centres). However, where appropriate, we encourage referrals via the Medicare Mental Health.
Benefits to utilising the Medicare Mental Health or e-referral pathway are:
- Connection to a range of specialist mental health and wellbeing services, including services not commissioned by Healthy North Coast
- Standardised centralised intake, assessment and referral
- Warm handovers into care and reduction in need to retell stories
- Up-to-date visibility of service capacity and wait times via locally managed referral component
- Client referral and risk information is captured in a secure and confidential system to manage care in an integrated way from intake through to referral.
Need help or have questions?
Contact Healthy North Coast’s Medicare Mental Health referral team at medicarementalhealthnc@hnc.org.au.
