Mental Health Triage Scale Project

About The Project

A number of mental health services have volunteered to participate in a six-month pilot and evaluation of the draft triage scale.

Click on the tabs below to view further information.

  • The pilot sites
  • References and Readings in the Program
  • Useful websites

The pilot sites are:

Adult services: North West (Broadmeadows), Inner Urban East (St Vincent’s), North East (Austin), Central East and Outer East (Eastern Health), Loddon Mallee (Bendigo), and Northern Mallee (Mildura).

Child and adolescent services: North Western Metropolitan (Royal Children’s), South East (Southern Health), Loddon Mallee (Bendigo), and Goulburn & Southern (Goulburn Valley).

Aged persons services: Goulburn/North East Hume (joint pilot with Shepparton and Wangaratta), Loddon Mallee (Bendigo) and Central & Outer East (Eastern Health).

If you currently perform triage at any of the pilot sites and are not already enrolled in the education program, please contact your team leader.

The Mental Health Branch plans to introduce a mental health triage scale and associated guidelines for all Victorian area mental health services (AMHS).

The statewide mental health triage scale is being developed and implemented (1) to promote a more consistent and clinically appropriate response to consumers, carers and referrers seeking access to mental health services and (2) to provide a basis for better data collection about service access, utilisation and demand.The triage scale classifies the outcome of the mental health triage process—i.e. the initial needs assessment of people who contact or who are referred to area mental health services.

This project aims to support the pilot implementation phase of the mental health triage scale.
LearnPRN, in collaboration with Bendigo Health, have been engaged by the Mental Health Branch to develop a training program in the use of the mental health triage scale and to provide training and support to the pilot sites.

This process includes:

  1. Visits to the pilot sites to establish the context for the training and relevant training needs.
  2. Curriculum development for the face-to-face training, based on the existing draft guidelines.
  3. Development of content for the web-based self-directed learning component and website development.
  4. Delivery of onsite training to pilot sites.

The Mental Health Branch has also engaged the University of Melbourne’s School of Nursing to evaluate the reliability and usability of the draft mental health triage scale.The evaluation will make recommendations about any changes needed and any processes or materials needed to support consistent use of the scale.

For more information, please contact the Project Officer

References and Readings in the Program:

References

Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (2007) Emergency Triage Education Kit. Canberra. Commonwealth of Australia.

Department of Human Services & National Institute of Clinical Studies 2006

Draper B, Jochelson T, Kitching D, Snowdon J, Brodarty H, Russell B. Mental health service delivery to older people in New South Wales: perceptions of aged care, adult mental health and mental health services for older people.Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 2003; 37:735-740

Grigg M, Herrmann H, Harvey C, Endacott R. (2007) Factors influencing triage decisions in mental health services. Australian Health Review 31: 239-245

Kevin J. (2002) An evaluation of telephone triage in mental health nursing.Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health. Vol 1 (2)

Knight & Lenten (2006) Bendigo Health Psychiatric Services Mental Health Triage Orientation Program. Bendigo. La Trobe University.

NSW Dept of Health (2004) Framework for suicide risk assessment and management for NSW health staff. North Sydney. NSW Dept of health.
Available at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2005/suicide_risk.html

Rickwood D, Deane F P, Wilson C J, Ciarrochi J.(2005) Young people’s help-seeking for mental health problems. Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health. Vol 4 (3, supplement) 1-34

Tchernomoroff, R. & Knight, K. (2007) Telephone triage education program. [Program presentation] Bendigo. LearnPRN Pty Ltd.

Wade D; Johnston A; Cambell B; Littlefield L (2007). Early intervention services in youth mental health.Clinical Psychologist Vol. 11(3) 108-14

Zuckerbrot RA; Cheung AH; Jensen PS; Stein RE; Laraque D (2007). Guidelines for Adolescent depression in primary care (GLAD-PC): 1. Identification, Assessment and initial management.PEDIATRICS, 2007 Nov; 120(5): e1299-312

Further Reading


Grigg, M, Herrman, H. and Harvey, C. (2002) What is duty/triage? Understanding the role of duty/triage in an area mental health service, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 36:6, 787 - 791

Grigg M; Endacott R; Herrman H; Harvey C; (2004) An ethnographic study of three mental health triage programs. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing Volume 13, 146–151

Hayman-White K; Sgro S; Happell B. (2006) Mental health in Australia: The ideal versus financial reality and the role of the mental health nurse. Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health (AeJAMH), Volume 5, Issue 1.

Happell B; Summers M; Pinikahana. J. (2002) The triage of psychiatric patients in the hospital emergency department: a comparison between emergency department nurses and psychiatric nurse consultants. J Accident & Emergency Nursing, Apr; 10 (2): 65-71

Sands N. (2004) Mental health triage nursing: an Australian perspective. Journal of Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing, 11 (2): 150-5

Sands N.(2007). An ABC approach to assessing the risk of violence at triage. Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal, 10 (3): 107-9

Sands N. (2007). Mental health triage: towards a model for nursing practice. Journal of Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing, 14 (3): 243-9

Sands N. (2007) Assessing the risk of suicide at triage. Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal 10, 161—163

Sands N. (2007) Mental Health Triage: Caring for the Australian Community Issues, Volume 80

Useful Websites:


http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-publicat.htm
Home page for the Dept of Health & Ageing. The web site contains a listing of publications on the government’s policies, programs and priorities for the health and ageing portfolio.

http://www.health.vic.gov.au/

http://www.health.vic.gov.au/mentalhealth/
This is the Home Page of the Victorian Government, Mental Health Branch and provides numerous interesting and helpful links. One of the links is as follows:

http://www.beyondblue.org.au/site
Beyondblue is a national initiative focusing on Depression that provides information for consumers and carers, the general public and health professionals. It also supports research into depression.

http://www.sane.org.au/
SANE is a national organization promoting a better life for people with mental illness. In particular they co-ordinate Stigmawatch a national campaign to respond to stigma and discrimination towards people with a mental illness in the media, this site will also provide useful inks to other web sites.

http://auseinet.flinders.edu.au/
Auseinet informs, educates, and promotes good practice in a range of sectors and the community about mental health promotion, prevention, early intervention and suicide prevention across the lifespan.

http://www.arafemi.org.au/

Provides services to the community of the state of Victoria, for the care and support of families and individuals dealing with an emotional or mental illness.

http://www.adin.com.au/content.asp?Document_ID=1

The only Australian portal to quality-assured Australia and international drug information, research, education, services and databases.

http://www.cpn.unimelb.edu.au/ ( http://www.cpnrp.unimelb.edu.au/ )

The CPN is a focal body for psychiatric nursing within Victoria, within all domains including practice, research, education and training.

http://www.depressionet.com.au/

Provides an independent, comprehensive resource for information help and 24 hour support for people living with depression

http://www.eppic.org.au/

An integrated and comprehensive psychiatric service aimed at addressing needs of older adolescents and young adults with emerging psychotic disorders.

http://www.mentalhealthvic.org.au/

Membership encompasses people living with mental illness, family members, carers and friends, professionals from many fields, mental health service providers and the public.

http://www.mifellowship.org/
A Victorian membership-based not-for-profit organisation working with people with mental illness, their families and friends to improve their well being.Site contains contact details & facts sheets

http://www.mh.org.au/nw_mental_health/www/358/1001127/displayarticle/1001231.html

Triage training:


The North Western Mental Health Training and Development Unit provides extensive training programs for NWMH staff, staff from other services, graduates and postgraduates from a range of disciplines.

The University of Melbourne Mental Health Triage Education Program.

The Mental Health Triage Education Program is a 2 day mental health triage training program designed and facilitated by Dr Natisha Sands. The education program provides specific, evidence-based education to support triage clinicians in conducting point of entry mental health assessment.

http://www.cpn.unimelb.edu.au

http://eshowcase.unimelb.edu.au

http://www.mh.org.au/nw_mental_health/

Service directory websites:


www.connectingcare.com
Health & Community Services Directory and e-Referral Mechanism

http://health.vic.gov.au/pcps/webpages/index.htm#region
Home site for Primary Care Partnerships (PCP)promoting inter-agency collaboration through co-ordinated services and an integrated approach to health promotion.The site includes quick links to contact information, publications and strategic plans.health outcomes and stronger communities for all Victorians.

www.health.vic.gov.au/healthpromotion/partnerships/index.htm
Providesinformation on health promotion - intervention and capacity building through primary health care partnerships.