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newparadigm Spring 2015
Psychiatric Disability Services
of Victoria (VICSERV)
A 10 Year Mental Health Strategy –
VICSERV’s response
VICSERV recommends the establishment of a mechanism, and
potentially a Mental Health Commission, to oversee the governance
and development of state funded Mental Health services, ensuring
fidelity of the initiatives to vision and objectives.
2. Guiding principles
VICSERV endorses the identified guiding principles for the Strategy,
particularly the inclusion of Co-production and Recovery Orientation,
and recommends they incorporate:
• a human rights approach
• population health planning
• a life course approach
• social model of health that goes beyond just a focus
on the social determinants of health
• adequate focus on all areas of diversity, with particular attention
to culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.
3. Outcomes approach
VICSERV supports an outcomes approach and the regular reporting
against the achievement of identified outcomes. We recommend:
• development of a comprehensive Mental Health Outcomes
Framework, building on the work undertaken in Because Mental
Health Matters – Victorian Mental Health Reform Strategy 2009–19
• expansion of the range of service delivery options and treatment
options to ensure genuine choice for consumers
• enhancing the capacity of services and public mental health
system for appropriate trauma-informed support and treatment,
and reducing trauma for people with mental illness by providing
least-restrictive, recovery-oriented and person-centred
environments and approaches to treatment and care.
4. Development of a Service Planning Framework
The development of Victoria’s next Mental Health Strategy provides
a vital opportunity for the State Government to develop a world class
mental health service system, and retain Victoria’s standing as a leader
in mental health care and support.
VICSERV recommends that the Government work with all
stakeholders to develop a service planning framework that
includes the key areas of:
• system structure and interfaces
• practice
• research
• workforce.
5. The importance of psychosocial rehabilitation
Specialist mental health rehabilitation falls outside the scope of the
NDIS. VICSERV recommends that Victoria’s Mental Health Strategy:
• identifies and acknowledges the important role of psychosocial
rehabilitation in an effective, contemporary mental health
service system
• includes psychosocial rehabilitation services as a component
of the state funded mental health service system, alongside
the treatment services of the acute assessment and treatment
sector, and the disability support services of NDIS.
6. Leadership and systems change
In the past Ministerial Advisory Groups have successfully
provided leadership and systems change, but are no longer
in operation in Victoria.
VICSERV recommends the establishment of a mechanism,
and potentially a Mental Health Commission, to oversee the
governance and development of state funded Mental Health
services, ensuring fidelity of the initiatives to vision and objectives.
7. Action plan for the Mental Health Strategy
VICSERV recommends a staged action plan for the Mental Health
Strategy, with annual targets developed for the initial stage or stages,
to be reported on each year to Parliament. Subsequent actions
and targets should build on these initial stages, to create an iterative
process of action, review and development.