Mental Health Victoria and the Department of Health are hosting a free information session about the Integrated AOD and Mental Health and Wellbeing Treatment, Care and Support Guidelines.

The Department of Health is preparing guidance on the delivery of the Integrated AOD and Mental Health and Wellbeing Treatment, Care and Support Guidelines (the Integrated Guidelines).

MHV are working with the Department to provide mental health and wellbeing stakeholders the opportunity to inform the development of the Integrated Guidelines, ensure alignment with other reform activity your service is actioning and propose implementation needs.

MHV will host an online briefing session with the Department to provide an update on progress to date, the opportunity to ask questions and offer feedback on the current draft of the Integrated Guidelines.

Details and registration

Note: MHV will be receiving up-to-date versions of the draft Integrated Guidelines before and after this briefing session, which will serve as a mechanism for members to provide input and feedback. The final version is anticipated to be published in late May.

Background

The Integrated Guidelines are a key part of work to deliver Recommendations 35 and 36 of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. Once released, the Integrated Guidelines will provide improved guidance and support in delivering integrated AOD and mental health treatment, care and support in mental health and wellbeing and AOD services.

The Royal Commission recommended that by the end of 2022, the Victorian Government ensure that all mental health and wellbeing services, across all age-based systems, including crisis services, community based services and bed-based services:

• provide integrated treatment, care and support to people living with mental illness and substance use or addiction; and
• do not exclude consumers living with substance use or addiction from accessing treatment, care and support.

Although our AOD system will continue to operate as a stand-alone system, it will be responsible for supporting people living with substance use or addiction, including people who have low levels of mental health support needs. To ensure consistency of Integrated Treatment Care and Support, these guidelines will apply to the AOD sector as well.

Consultation on the development of these Guidelines to date has been rich with diverse experiences and expertise from across the Mental Health and Wellbeing and AOD sectors and has been approached through various means of engagement, both sector and department led.

The Department conducted an initial phase of consultation in the second half of 2021 – you can read a summary of what was heard here.

The Department are now in the second phase of consultation and will be drafting and testing the Integrated Guidelines with those who will be receiving or delivering integrated care, treatment and support in the reformed mental health system, and those who have particular expertise in the delivery of this kind of care in the current system.