Agenda

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Aims of this meeting:

• Provide an opportunity to hear from the Australian New Zealand College of Mental Health Nurses and from the State Department of Human Services on specific Council of Australian Government (COAG) reforms in mental health care;
• Provide an opportunity for divisions to share information about the uptake of Better Access in each area and the impact of this initiative on the Better Outcomes ATAPS projects;
• Using small groups, encourage divisions to work collaboratively on the preparation of the ATAPS Management Plan report for DoHa due in April;
• Update divisions on the progress to date of the RACGP Professional Peer Support Program;
• Inform divisions of the locally available State initiatives in Parent-Infant mental health consultation services and training, and the Statewide service in Post-Natal Depression.

Kim Ryan, Executive Officer, Australian New Zealand College of Mental Health Nurses addressed the COAG mental health initiatives, specifically the Better Access MBS items and the Mental Health Nurse General Practice incentive, from her College�s point of view.  

Maria Bubnic, Manager, COAG Mental Health Strategic Projects Branch, DHS, made a presentation on the implementation of the COAG Care Co-ordination initiative, and its implications for divisions.

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Impact of Better Access on ATAPS

Using large group discussion, divisions had been encouraged to share progress on the impact of Better Access on demand for ATAPS, and raise related program and policy issues concerning Better Access for feedback to DoHA.

ATAPS Management Plan Template

Moving into small group discussion, divisions had also discussed and shared responses to the ATAPS Management Plan reporting template, working through key sections in the template.

RACGP Professional Peer Support Program

Veena Vather, Senior Research Officer, Professional Peer Support Program, RACGP provided a short update on this program and its relevance for divisions and GPs.

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Parent Infant Mental Health Initiative

In 2005, the Mental Health Branch funded the Parent-Infant Mental Health Initiative (PIMHI) which aims to promote better understanding and treatment of women with a serious mental illness and their infants, targeted to Area Mental Health Services and Primary Mental Health Teams. The PIMHI also has an education and training component which may be directly offered to GPs. The co-ordinators from each region made a brief presentionation on their services.

Fyowna Norton, Co-ordinator, Werribee Hospital, Western Region,

Dr Susan Breton, Co-ordinator, and Dr Adaobi Udechuku, Consultant Psychiatrist, Austin Hospital, Northern Region

Barbara Minto, Co-ordinator, Monash Medical Centre, Southern Region

Post and Ante Natal Depression Association (PANDA)

Belinda Horton, Director, PANDA, made a presentation on the services PANDA offer consumers and GPs.

Please click here to view Belinda Horton's presentation (1,411Kb)