Together Country Health SA Primary Health Network and Country Health SA Local Health Network (LHN) have released an integrated Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan, highlighting their commitment to work together to identify service gaps and improve outcomes in regional communities.
The Plan aims to help build momentum and continue shared interest in joint regional planning, to set a framework for ongoing activity and improved integration over time through:
- Continue to jointly address identified gaps and deliver on regional priorities and drive evidence-based service to address those needs for regional South Australia
- Further integrate mental health and suicide prevention services and pathways for people with or at risk of mental illness or suicide through a whole of systems approach
- Set out collaboration and integration opportunities so as to meet short and long-term mental health and suicide prevention objectives identified across the State and, in some cases, suggest mechanisms by which these objectives can be jointly identified and owned moving forward.
Country SA PHN’s primary purpose in developing a Foundation Plan was to assist in a smooth transition towards new State Local Health Network (LHN) re-structure in mid-2019.
Chez Curnow, Manager Mental Health and AOD, Country SA PHN said the joint Plan was to improve the mental health and suicide prevention of regional communities and individuals.
“The Plan is rich in regional voices and lived experience, focusing on shared goals of improved mental health outcomes for regional, rural and remote communities in South Australia," said Ms Curnow.
The Foundation Plan is intended to support newly inaugurated regional LHNs to hit the ground running and build on the current work achieved to date with our current LHN partner Country Health SA.
This Plan will form the axis on, which transition and future collaboration can be based with a commitment to develop a joint Comprehensive Service Development Plan by mid-2022.
Access the joint Mental health and Suicide Prevention Plan here.
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