Designated mental health services and other services
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A ‘designated mental health service’ is defined in section 3 of the MHW Act to mean a prescribed public hospital, health service or other hospital within the meaning of section 3(1) of the Health Services Act 1988 (Vic), the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health (Forensicare), or the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing.
At the time of writing, only the public hospitals and public health services that have psychiatric facilities in Victoria have been so prescribed. No private hospitals have been prescribed and therefore a person may only receive treatment there voluntarily.
‘Mental health and wellbeing service provider’ is defined (at s 3) to include an entity that receives funding from the State for the primary purpose of providing a mental health and wellbeing service and employs or engages a mental health and wellbeing professional in connection with that purpose.
At least one authorised psychiatrist must be appointed at each designated mental health service (s 328). The authorised psychiatrist is effectively responsible for the person’s treatment in accordance with the MHW Act.
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Community-based mental health services offer services to people who have a mental illness, including those who have been in psychiatric inpatient services. Each designated mental health service has a crisis assessment and treatment team that assists with urgent situations, and some have other teams, such as a mobile support team for clients who are unable to access their mental health and wellbeing support services. The members of these teams are usually doctors or psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses and social workers or psychologists.
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Inpatient services provide short-term and long-term care and treatment for people who may not be able to be treated successfully in the community. Most of Melbourne’s large metropolitan hospitals have a specialised psychiatric inpatient facility, as do the regional hospitals throughout Victoria. In addition, there are a number of specialised units such as mother and baby units, eating disorder units, psycho-geriatric facilities and the Thomas Embling Forensic Hospital.
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A number of government and non-government services provide assistance for people with a mental illness in Victoria. They offer services including accommodation, counselling, support for relatives and friends, advocacy and self-help, and day centres.
The IMHA service is particularly relevant for compulsory patients. It is a free, confidential and independent service that supports people who are receiving compulsory treatment to make decisions and to have as much say as possible about their assessment, treatment and recovery.
More information about relevant services can be obtained from Mental Health Victoria and the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (see ‘Contacts’ at the end of this chapter).
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The Community Visitors Program is run by the Office of the Public Advocate. Community Visitors are volunteers who are empowered under the MHW Act (pt 8) to inquire into the adequacy and standards of services and facilities. Community Visitors can inspect premises and documents, make inquiries and investigate complaints (see www.publicadvocate.vic.gov.au/your-rights/in-your-home/community-visitors ).
Designated mental health services and other services
Chapter: 8.4: Mental illness
Contributor: Kate Windmill, Director of Legal Practice, Mental Health Legal Centre
Current as of: 1 September 2024
Law Handbook Page: 754
Next Section: Victorian Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission
