Capital Health Network

The ACT Regional Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan (the ACT Plan) was developed in partnership by key mental health stakeholders in the ACT and informed by consultations with the ACT community. The ACT Plan informs integration of the ACT mental health system and coordinated funding of services through seven key focus areas and underpinned by the vision of ‘a kind, connected and informed community working together to promote and protect the mental health and wellbeing of all’. The ACT Plan is guided by the principles of person-centred care, integration, collaboration, co-design and continuous improvement, and provides a framework to work towards improved mental health outcomes for people in the ACT.

In August 2020, the ACT Plan was officially launched by ACT Minister for Mental Health, Shane Rattenbury. Since the launch, the Regional Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan Steering Committee (the Committee) has met bimonthly to provide updates on individual organisational workplans under the focus areas of the ACT Plan, discuss opportunities for next steps, and brainstorm ways to improve integration and navigation and strive for a comprehensive and coordinated system of care.

In the first year of implementation of the ACT Plan, the Committee has worked towards establishing a collaborative commissioning project for mental health activities in the region. Service navigation has been another major focus, with the Committee’s organisations working together on a number of initiatives to strengthen pathways between local mental health services. Finally, the Committee has worked together on the planning of the upcoming ACT Head to Health Centre, expected to be operational in December 2021. The Committee will continue to meet regularly to collaborate on mental health system integration activities in the local region over the life of the ACT Plan and have committed to regularly report back to the community on the progress of these activities as they work towards better coordination across the ACT mental health system.