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Mental Health Resources

 New MBS Item Numbers for Mental Health
 Referral Templates for GPs 
 NSW Mental Health Act - Schedule 1 Medical Certificate
 Outcome Tools
 ATAPS Program
 CBT Training and Patient Self-Help Modules
 Local Mental Health Providers Directory 
 Sutherland Public Mental Health Services
     Adult
     Child, Youth and Family
 Useful Mental Health Links
 Consumer Information and Resources

 

GP RESOURCES AND INFORMATION 

NSW Mental Health Act Schedule 1 Medical Certificate

Mental Health Act 2007 (Section 19) Schedule 1 Medical Certificate    
as to examination or observation of person     

WORD (44KB)          PDF (18 KB)

Electronic Template Schedule 1 Medical Certificate for Best Practice        RTF (19KB)
Electronic Template Schedule 1 Medical Certificate for Medical Director  MD TEMPLATE RTF (18KB )
NB: These electronic templates have been developed by
Central Sydney Division of General Practice

New MBS Item Numbers for Mental Health

In November 2006 the government introduced the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and GPs through the Medicare Benefits Schedule initiative. Click here to view the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing website for further details.

Descriptors of GP Mental Health MBS items  PDF (15KB)
Explanatory notes for GP Mental Health MBS items   PDF (48KB)
Better Access Patient Info  PDF (80KB)
Better Access Patient Pathways  PDF (66KB)

GPs preparing a GP Mental Health Care Plan should complete both an Assessment and a Plan and Review document:

GP Mental Health Care Plan - Assessment Template (Word) WORD (54KB)
GP Mental Health Care Plan - Assessment Template (Medical Director) MD TEMPLATE RTF (42KB)
GP Mental Health Care Plan - Plan and Review Template (Word) WORD (48KB)
GP Mental Health Care Plan - Plan and Review Template (Medical Director)    MD TEMPLATE RTF (34KB)
 

Referral Templates for GPs

ACCESS Team Referral Form Sutherland Division of Mental Health, Sutherland Hospital  WORD (80KB)
Child Youth and Family Referral Form, Sutherland Hospital and Community Health Service 

PDF (92 KB )   

Outcome Tools

DASS21 Instructions PDF (14KB)
DASS21 Profile PDF (509)
DASS21 Questionnaire PDF (12KB) 
DASS21 Scoring Template WORD (29KB)
Kessler 10 (K 10) Instructions PDF (22KB)
Kessler 10 (K 10) Questionnaire PDF (23KB)
Edinburgh Post Natal Depression Scale      PDF (110KB)
Paediatric Symptoms Checklist (3-16 year olds) (see below)
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (4-17 year olds)   (see below)

Paediatric Symptoms Checklist (3-16 year olds)

One parent-report questionnaire for children aged 3-16 years. One self-report questionnaire. Available in some other languages. Simpler scoring process than SDQ. Click below for:

PSC – Parent-report questionnaire PDF (9KB)
Y-PSC – self-report questionnaire (youth)   PDF (9KB)
Scoring guidelines WORD (35KB)

Further information can be found online at http://www.massgeneral.org/allpsych/PediatricSymptomChecklist/psc_order.htm

Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (4-17 year olds)

Available in various versions, depending on age group and whether parent- or self-report. Available in various languages. Complex scoring process. Used by clinical psychologists in child and adolescent mental health services in Australia. Click below for:

What is the SDQ? http://www.sdqinfo.com/b1.html

PC1a – Parent-report for 4-10 year olds 

PDF (94KB)

PY1a – Parent-report for 11-17 year olds    

PDF (106KB)

YR1a – Self-report for 11-17 year olds

PDF (93KB)

Scoring guidelines. Link to http://www.sdqinfo.com/b4.html  Further information can be found online at http://www.sdqinfo.com/

ATAPS Program

ATAPS - a checklist

PDF (35KB)

GP Mental Health Care Plan - Assessment Template (Word)

WORD (54KB)

GP Mental Health Care Plan - Assessment Template (Medical Director) 

MD TEMPLATE RTF (42KB)
GP Mental Health Care Plan - Plan and Review Template (Word)  WORD (48KB)

GP Mental Health Care Plan - Plan and Review Template (Medical Director)   

MD TEMPLATE RTF (34KB)

Fax coversheet (MH)

WORD (1,969KB)

Fax coversheet (Co-morbidity group)

WORD (1,973KB)

CBT Training and patient self-help Modules

In conjunction with Sutherland Division of Mental Health, our Division has developed a number of patient self-help modules based on psychological therapies commonly employed in helping people with anxiety disorders or depression. These were originally intended to be given to patients by a GP who had undertaken mental health training in these techniques.

GP training documents and resources:

Assessment and Diagnosis of Depression      

PDF (49KB)
Assessment and Diagnosis of Anxiety PDF (45KB)
Motivational Interviewing PDF (224KB)

The Psychological Interview

PDF (224KB)

Principles of Treatment for Depression 

PDF (37KB)
Principles of Treatment for Anxiety PDF (27KB)

Medication in Depression

PDF (51KB)
Medication in Anxiety PDF (31KB)

Rationale for CBT

PDF (34KB)

CBT and Depression

PDF (55KB)

CBT and Anxiety

PDF (37KB)

Patient self-help modules:

Controlled Breathing                                 PDF (18KB)
Learning to Relax PDF (24KB)
Sleep Q&As PDF (41KB)
Keeping Active PDF (150KB)
Mood Monitoring PDF (24KB)
Mood Diary PDF (18KB)
Depression and Solving Problems       PDF (57KB)
Anxiety and Solving Problems PDF (49KB)

Sutherland Division of Mental Health, Sutherland Hospital and Community Health Service

Information on the Service    

 PDF (29KB) 

ACCESS Team Referral Form         

 PDF (80KB)       

Child Youth and Family Counselling Service, Sutherland Hospital and Community Health Service

Information on the Service           

PDF (65  KB)  

 

GP Referral Form 

PDF (92 KB ) 

 Directories of Mental Health Service Providers (revised as at April 2008)

Directory of Local Mental Health Service Providers      

PDF (118KB)

Local psychologists are under “Psychologist” in the directory    

PDF (57KB)

Local psychiatrists are under “Psychiatrist - Private” in the directory         

PDF (118KB)

Drug and Alcohol Services: AOD” in the directory

PDF (118KB)

Eating Disorders Services Directory 

PDF (58 KB)

If you provide mental health services to the residents of Sutherland Shire and would like to be included in the local directory, or to update your entry in this directory, please complete the Proforma document and fax to us on 9545 3522 (download proforma - WORD (67KB)

GP Mental Health Education

Useful Mental Health Links

The addresses / links below will take you to specific web pages dealing with particular issues (eg treatments for depression and anxiety) however, these websites contain much more information. To find out about other aspects of mental illness, you may find it useful to click on the 'home' button when you are in these other sites.

  

 

CONSUMER INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

Where Do I Get Help?
Speak to your own GP about your problems and they may offer help themselves or refer you to a specialist service such as psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors or other services. Psychiatrists are doctors specialising in mental illnesses and you will need a referral letter from your GP.

Psychologists have a university degree in psychology and specialise in understanding how thinking and behaviour affect how we feel. They can teach patients how to change their thinking and behaviour to reduce or eliminate symptoms of illness and manage stressful life experiences. You can find a list of local psychologists in the phone book under 'psychologists' or your GP may advise you.

Counsellors come from a range of training backgrounds and offer support and advice for a range of situations and conditions eg individual, couple, family therapy. You can find local services in the phone book under 'counselling'.

Useful Mental Health website links and resources

Depression and Anxiety: what are they?
Click here to find out about these common conditions

Treatments for Depression and Anxiety
Click on here for an outline of treatments (psychological, medications, alternative approaches) for anxiety and depression or visit this site
http://www.beyondblue.org.au/

What you should know about Suicide
A fact sheet produced by the Mental Health Information Service on the risk factors and warning signs, plus information and advice on how to help someone who may be feeling suicidal. http://www.mentalhealth.asn.au/

Support after Suicide
Click here for information about a support group in Sutherland Shire run by Southern Community Welfare for people who have been bereaved by suicide.
- or phone Southern Community Welfare on (02) 9545 0299

Eating Disorders
Click below on the Eating Disorders Foundation of NSW website for information on these conditions, how to help someone with an eating disorder, support groups, resources etc. http://www.edsn.asn.au/

What is Psychosis?
Click to the website link for a description of psychosis. www.eppic.org.au/pdfs/info1.pdf Further information on Early Psychosis Prevention can be found at http://www.eppic.org.au/

What is Bipolar Disorder?
Click here for general information on the condition and its treatment and specific advice for carers.

Young People's Mental Health
For some young people, adolescence can be associated with the development of depression, anxiety, psychosis or other mental illnesses. The following website has been specifically designed to provide information to young people on mental illness, drugs and alcohol, eating disorders, relationships, loss and grief and other mental health issues.
http://www.reachout.com.au/

The beyondblue (National Depression Initiative) website also has information on depression in young people, experienced by 1 in 5 young people in Australia each year www.beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?link_id=5.85 and www.beyondblue.org.au/ybblue

Post Natal Depression (PND)
Find out about the different types of PND from the Black Dog Institute.

Men's Health
Men's mental health can be bound up in their work and home relationships. This site gives information on relationships, family law, surviving divorce, parenting, conflict resolution and has a services directory showing support groups and events specifically for men. They also have a 24 hour telephone helpline at 1300 78 99 78 http://www.menslineaus.org.au/

Alcohol and Other Drugs
Click on this site for information on alcohol and a range of other drugs and how they affect the body

Carers
Being a carer for someone with a mental illness can be extremely challenging. Carers need information about the illness affecting their loved one, need to be involved in planning the management of the person who is ill (with their permission), and need to look after their own needs at the same time.
Click below for a factsheet: Caring for Someone with a Mental Illness:

How Can I help? and Caring for a person with Depression or Anxiety. See websites below for information on specific conditions.The Carers NSW http://www.carersnsw.asn.au/ and SANE Australia http://www.sane.org/ websites also have useful information.

Other useful websites for consumers

For a comprehensive range of mental health related websites, go to the beyondblue website.