Mental Health and AOD support programs
Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network (EMPHN) offers a range of programs to support health professionals in assisting their patients.
Find services that assist healthcare professionals to connect people to suitable services in mental health, alcohol and other drugs, and suicide prevention.
On this page:
Looking for mental health program referral forms?
Download a flyer on mental health supports for GPs
Download PDF [274.69 kb]
SupportConnect
SupportConnect is a team of mental health professionals who engage with patients, families and professionals over the phone to assess a persons need and help connect them to the right mental health services for them.
For those who may prefer to do their own research anytime, there is a SupportConnect website where you can search and refine the options with a number of filters to find the right service.
- Use the SupportConnect telephone service by calling (03) 9800 1071 – speak to a member of the SupportConnect team if you’d prefer to talk to a person. Availability: 8.30-5pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).
- Search the SupportConnect website – just answer a few simple online questions, or type what you’re looking for into the search bar.
View our mental health services
Visit SupportConnect
Initial Assessment and Referral Decision Support Tool (IAR-DST)
The IAR-DST assists mental health professionals to recommend an appropriate level of care for people seeking mental health support. It does this by:
- Bringing together existing assessment results, rather than replacing or requiring additional clinical assessment scales and processes
- Providing a framework that can considered for each person seeking support
- Acting as a prompt on the type of information to gather
- Establishing a common approach and language for communicating the level of care across service providers
IAR-DST for mental healthcare training
IAR-DST training is available to GPs, general practice staff, clinicians and other mental health service providers.
EMPHN-funded mental health services will progressively begin using the IAR-DST (where appropriate), starting with Head to Health, and Mental Health Stepped Care. For more information, please visit these pages:
IAR-DST for mental healthcare
Head to Health
Mental Health Stepped Care
The GP Psychiatry Support Line
The GP Psychiatry Support Line is a free service to GPs to support you in managing the mental health care of your patients.
The advice line can help you with:
- Diagnosis
- Investigation
- Medication
- Safety planning
It is not about triaging or referring patients to a psychiatrist, but rather keeping patients whose conditions are able to be treated within primary care under the care of their GP.
To access this service, GPs will first need to take 2 minutes to register (once only). GPs will need their AHPRA Registration Number, and practice details. This service is funded directly from the Commonwealth Government.
Please note this service is not an EMPHN commissioned service.
Download the GP Psychiatry Support Line flyer
Download PDF [795.64 kb]
Medication Support and Recovery Service (MSRS)
This Medication Support and Recovery service (MSRS) is funded by EMPHN to assist people who have problematic use of prescription and/or over-the-counter medications.
Health practitioners may want to be aware of this service on behalf of the patients they are supporting.
The service is provided by community health centres in the following locations:
- Box Hill
- Clayton
- Doncaster East
- Eltham
- Epping
- Glen Waverley
- Hawthorn
- Lilydale
- West Heidelberg
The MSRS is available to anyone, with or without a referral from a healthcare professional.
To access the service, phone 1800 931 101 or visit the MSRS website.
Download the MSRS information flyer
Download PDF [217.67 kb]
Alcohol and other drug treatment services
