The Primary Health Network (PHN) is undertaking a Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Needs Assessment to:

• Develop a Regional Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan, and
• Find out what primary mental health services are needed, and where they are needed.
  

It will help us build a profile of the mental health and wellbeing of our people, including:

• Vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups
• Available pathways of care
• Finding gaps in services
• Identifying barriers preventing access to care.

To do this we will examine existing mental health and suicide data and undertake consultations with our communities.

The PHN has engaged Consan Consulting to consult with consumers, carers and a broad range of regional partner organisations, including organisations delivering health and mental health services to vulnerable population groups such as children and young people, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Consan Consulting will be conducting interviews and focus groups in communities throughout the PHN region to gather information from participants about their understanding of the mental health needs of their communities, the services available and the access pathways, potential strategies to meet needs, and perceptions of factors associated with service access.

The needs assessment will be completed by the end of June, 2017. 

Details of the consultations can be found in the Key Dates section of this page.

There are a number of ways you can be involved.  You can let people know who you think would be interested in participating in the consultations.  You can contact us if you would be interested in participating yourself, or you can share your thoughts at any time, here on peoplebank.

Simply register and join the conversation about improving the mental health and wellbeing of our communities.