Mental Health and Wellbeing Transformation

Albury Wodonga Health will be playing its part in rebuilding our mental health and wellbeing services locally. Stay up-to-date with the latest on the project and find out how you can get involved.

Latest News and Updates

Stay up-to-date with the transformation project and find out how you can get involved.

Understanding the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act

Victoria's new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act came into effect 1 September 2023. The new Act replaces the Mental Health Act 2014.

The new Act supports changes underway to transform Victoria's mental health system. The changes will deliver a new system where Victorians receive the care they need early, and in their community.

The new Act is a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 promotes good mental health and wellbeing for all Victorians.

It has new rights-based principles that promote the values, preferences and views of Victorians with mental illness or psychological distress. The new principles guide how service providers should deliver assessment, treatment, care and support.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 resets the legislative foundations of the system. It also establishes new roles and entities recommended by the Royal Commission.

Find out more about the new Act here.

Getting Involved In the Transformation Journey

Engagement with our community, carers and consumers is a critical foundational element of the Transformation Plan and there will be a number of opportunities to participate in transformation activities in the upcoming months and years. We will be capturing information from consumers about key initiatives and at key times in the Transformation journey and encourage you to get involved and have your say.

Stay tuned for consultation and engagement opportunities.

 

 

 

In 2021, the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System delivered its final report outlining the changes needed to create a future mental health and wellbeing system that provides holistic treatment, care and support for all Victorians.

It made 65 recommendations – all of which have been adopted by the Victorian Government – with the aim of rebuilding the state's mental health system. The recommendations are broad and complex, but the main findings are simple: our current overburdened and understaffed mental health system is failing Victorians. This is especially true for people in regional areas.

The work to rebuild our mental health system is underway and health services across the state – Albury Wodonga Health included – have begun the task of transforming the way Mental Health and Wellbeing (MH&W) services are delivered to their communities. In response, our Albury Wodonga Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Service Transformation Plan has commenced and will reshape the way mental health and wellbeing services are delivered across the community.

WATCH: The Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System Explained

Find Out More About the Health and Wellbeing Transformation Project

Work is underway to transform mental health and wellbeing services across Albury, Wodonga and beyond. Find out more about this important project.

The Royal Commission found that the present system is not designed or equipped to support the diverse needs of people living with mental illness or psychological distress, families, carers and supporters, let alone to cope with unforeseen pressures that may arise.

Due to system constraints, services are often inaccessible at the times when they would make the most difference, and the system largely operates in crisis mode—that is, it tends to react to mental health crises rather than preventing them. The system is complex and fragmented and, for those who do manage to get into it, difficult to navigate. People experience enormous frustration and distress when trying to identify the right mental health services for themselves or someone else.

The Commission’s report sets out recommendations to commence a new approach to mental health and wellbeing treatment, care and support. The Victorian Government has started implementing these recommendations.

The report outlines system-wide reforms to create a mental health and wellbeing system that is contemporary and adaptable. The report comprises five volumes:

• Volume 1: A new approach to mental health and wellbeing in Victoria

• Volume 2: Collaboration to support good mental health and wellbeing

• Volume 3: Promoting inclusion and addressing inequities

• Volume 4: The fundamentals for enduring reform

• Volume 5: Transforming the system—innovation and implementation

Across these volumes, the Commission sets out 65 recommendations to transform Victoria’s mental health system. Some of the recommendations are foundational and focus on creating new structures to support a sustainable mental health and wellbeing system.

Some concentrate on ensuring that treatment, care and support are available and accessible. Others focus on redesigning services to move from a crisis-driven model to a communitybased one that delivers beneficial outcomes for people. Some recommendations are a first for Victoria, such as setting up initiatives led by people with lived experience of mental illness or psychological distress, and establishing lived experience leaders throughout the system.

Albury Wodonga Health will be playing its part in rebuilding our mental health and wellbeing services locally. This is a collective effort with government and community and we are engaging across the sector to deliver this transformation.

Statewide priorities were initially identified and these encompassed 8 core areas that AWH has commenced working on:

Priority 1: Embed lived experience in leadership, design and delivery of Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Services

Priority 2: Establishing the two Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Streams

Priority 3: Expanding core clinical services

Priority 4: Delivering more clinical activity outside of standard business hours

Priority 5: Primary and secondary consultation across the system and developing models of shared care

Priority 6: Forming a partnership with an NGO provider of wellbeing services

Priority 7: Integrated mental health and alcohol and other drugs treatment, care and support for people living with mental illness and substance use or addiction

Priority 8: Supporting the new Local Adult and Older Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing Services

However, as transformation continues new and additional priorities are being added and AWH is flexibly responding to these. In recent times this has included:

·         preparing the organisation for the implementation of the 2022 MHW Act

·         a Digital Services Trial – looking at increasing the accessibility of Mental Health services to regional and rural areas through the use of digital tools or improved digital infrastructure.  

A dedicated Mental Health and Wellbeing Transformation Team is in place and have commenced working through a locally focussed transformation plan.

·         The inherent dignity of people living with mental illness is respected, and necessary holistic support is provided to ensure their full and effective participation in society.

·         Family members and carers of people living with mental illness have their contributions recognised and supported.

·         Comprehensive mental health treatment, care and support services are provided on an equitable basis to those who need them and as close as possible to people’s own communities—including in rural areas.

·         Collaboration and communication occur between services within and beyond the mental health system and at all levels of government.

·         Responsive, high-quality, mental health services attract a skilled and diverse workforce.

·         People living with mental illness, their family members and carers, as well as local communities, are central to the planning and delivery of mental health treatment, care and support services.

·         Mental health services use continuing research, evaluation and innovation to respond to community needs now and into the future.