- Executive summary
- Acronyms and abbreviations
- Introduction
- Examples of care coordination in action within the Stepped Care Model
- Implementing stepped care in general practice
- Using the stepped care services in your community
- Using the Better Access initiative, MHTPs, CCMPs and the IAR-DST in stepped care
- Empowering your consumer and carer
- Stepped care for specific populations
- Stepped care and telehealth
- Stepped care in rural and remote communities
- Setting goals and measuring outcomes
- GP education and training for stepped care
- Useful resources
- References
- Disclaimer
- Recommended citation
- Executive summary
- Acronyms and abbreviations
- Introduction
- Examples of care coordination in action within the Stepped Care Model
- Implementing stepped care in general practice
- Using the stepped care services in your community
- Using the Better Access initiative, MHTPs, CCMPs and the IAR-DST in stepped care
- Empowering your consumer and carer
- Stepped care for specific populations
- Stepped care and telehealth
- Stepped care in rural and remote communities
- Setting goals and measuring outcomes
- GP education and training for stepped care
- Useful resources
- References
- Disclaimer
- Recommended citation
Executive summary
A primary role of the General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration (GPMHSC) is the development of competencies related to the provision of mental health services. The GPMHSC identified that GPs in Australia need an easy-to-follow guide to the Stepped Care Model. Originally published in 2016, this is now the 2nd edition of the Stepped Care Guide and was redeveloped by the GPMHSC Stepped Care Working Group comprising Dr Michael Tam, Dr Caroline Johnson, Consumer Representative Heather Nowak and Carer Representative Peter Heggie.
This edition of the guide aims to:
- support the implementation of the Stepped Care Model
- encourage communication between general practice and Primary Health Networks (PHNs) to deliver stepped care
- encourage GPs to undertake shared decision-making with carers and consumers.
- explanations of:
- the Stepped Care Model
- the role of the GP in stepped care
- the role of the PHN in stepped care
- advice on:
- empowering consumers and carers to use the model
- using other services in your community to implement the Stepped Care Model
- how to use the model for specific populations
- how to use the model in telehealth
- how to use the model in rural and remote areas.
Useful resources are located throughout the guide, and there is a new link you can use to identify your local PHN.
In developing this guide and ensuring its relevance to all professions involved in primary mental health care, the GPMHSC reached out to the following member organisations for comment: the Australian Psychological Society, the Australian Association of
Social Workers, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Occupational Therapy Australia and the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses.
On behalf of the GPMHSC, I encourage you to refer to this guide to understand how to best use the Stepped Care Model in your own practice and in collaboration with your PHN.
Associate Professor Morton Rawlin
Chair, General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration