Primary Mental Health Services

Primary Mental Health Services scheme is a scheme provided by PHNs to assist in improving the mental health of people living in communities that would otherwise have little or no access to mental health services. Non-urgent services targeting individuals who are able to remain under the care of a GP in the community and who do not need specialist mental health services such as acute inpatient care, emergency crisis assistance, mental health care coordination or ongoing psychiatric care. In the ACT primary mental health services are provided via the Next Steps program and include: free access and support for people who are unable to access other funded services where cost is a barrier; evidenced-based structured intervention based on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT); online, telephone and face to face services in various locations across the ACT; referrals accepted by individuals, GPs and other health care professionals.