Suicide Prevention Initiative
  
Program Overview and Rationale
This project is jointly funded under the National Suicide Prevention Strategy and the Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) component of the Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care Program. The ATAPS Suicide Prevention Service will complement and operate in parallel with the existing ATAPS and Better Access Mental Health programs already delivered by the Division.
A study estimates that only a quarter of people who complete suicide are in contact with a mental health service and usually GPs are managing, within their care and with limited referral or support pathways, patients who have attempted suicide or self harm, or who have suicide ideation. The project is NOT intended to increase the number of high risk patients being managed by GPs or
diverting patients from the care of state public mental health services to primary care. Nor patients who have persistent or recurrent thoughts of self harm for months or years, as part of their mental disorder. These patients are not a focus for this project.
Duration of Program and how it operates
81 referrals are funded under this Initiative until June 2010. The Division will engage existing Allied Health Providers (AHPs) who meet the guidelines of our existing ATAPS program to provide services to the target group. All providers who are participating have completed mandatory training through the Australian Psychological Society.
There is no limit on the number of sessions available, however it is anticipated that these sessions would be conducted in a condensed time period over 1-2 months. On completion of treatment under this Initiative the patient is still entitled to enter the BOMH/ATAPS program or Better Access Initiative. Eligibility for 12 sessions per calendar year is still valid.
How the Program benefits GPs and their patients
The Suicide Initiative aims to provide treatment and support to individuals at risk of suicide or self harm at a critical point in their lives. This will be achieved through assisting GPs in the management of this specialist group of patients and aims to provide referral pathways for GPs to better support their existing patients. This in turn will better integrate care between acute and primary mental health care for the management of this patient group.
Services will be accessed through GPs making direct referrals to Contractors. When a patient has agreed to participate in the project and given informed consent to the GP, the GP will fax a referral to the Contractor of their choice immediately after referral.
The AHP will have the capacity to speak to the patient within 24hrs and provide the first treatment session within 72hrs (or sooner) following referral. Service provision by the AHP will include a mixture of primarily face-to-face consultations and some follow up phone calls to promote ongoing therapeutic contact.
Current level of Program participation/utilisation
All Central Coast GPs are able to access patient referrals via the BOMH - ATAPS program.
Referrals will be for patients who meet the criteria listed below:
- People who have been discharged into the care of GPs from hospital, including Emergency Departments or from a medical ward following an overnight admission after a suicide attempt
- People who have presented to GPs after an incident of self harm
- People who have expressed strong suicidal ideation to their GPs
Patients are ineligible for referral if:
- The patient is already a client of existing public mental health services - including the NSCCH - Mental Health Services
- Patients who have persistent or recurrent thoughts of self harm for months or years as part of their mental health disorder
- If the patient's condition is currently high risk, acute and requiring ongoing crisis intervention and assessment of suicide risk.
Co-ordination of the Program
Please refer to the Better Outcomes in Mental Health program for information about our Mental Health Steering Committee who aims to oversee and advise on the structure, function, performance and relevance of this initiative.
Michelle Mead Zona Gabriel
Program Manager Project Officer
Ph: 4365 2294 Ph: 4365 2294
Fx: 4365 3836 Fx: 4365 3836
Email: michellem@ccdgp.com.au Email: zona@ccdgp.com.au
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