Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Comorbidity Programs
Building on Can Do Grants
In 2009 the Australian Government’s Department of Health and Ageing, through the Australian General Practice Network, funded approximately 30 Divisions across Australia to implement a range of capacity building strategies to improve care for people with co-existing mental health and drug and alcohol problems. These were known as the Building on Can Do Grants and eight NSW Divisions were funded to manage ten projects.
The divisions which received funding in two separate rounds included:
- Sutherland Division of General Practice
- NSW Central West Division of General Practice
- Central Sydney GP Network
- Illawarra Division of General Practice
- Riverina Division of General Practice and Primary Health Ltd
- Mid North Coast (NSW) Division of General Practice
- Murrumbidgee Division of General Practice
- Macarthur Division of General Practice
These projects were funded for 12 months and ceased in May 2010. More information about the grants can be found at:
The 3Ts Project: Training, Treatment and Transferring knowledge
This project commenced in August 2010 and aims to build the capacity of the workforce that manages people with mental health and drug and alcohol comorbid illnesses. Eight NSW Divisions have been selected to support training opportunities for general practitioners, drug and alcohol and mental health workers. Approximately 50 GPs and a combination of 50 mental health and drug and alcohol workers will undergo a series of clinical attachments in each other’s organisations. Each participant will be able to learn more about the organisation’s capacity and limitations to manage comorbid patients and to spend time with Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Specialists. Divisions will facilitate local committees to formalise collaborative working partnerships between general practice, drug and alcohol and mental health services. Additionally, General Practice NSW will fund the delivery of Mental Health Skills Training courses in Comorbidity in four to five locations in NSW.
The eight Divisions funded for the 3Ts project are:
- Blue Mountains Division of General Practice
- Central Sydney GP Network
- Eastern Sydney Division of General Practice
- General Practice Network Northside
- Manly Warringah Division of General Practice
- Mid North Coast (NSW) Division of General Practice
- Northern Sydney General Practice Network
- Riverina Division of General Practice
The Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Comorbidity Shared Care Project
Ten NSW Divisions of General Practice will be funded for 12 months commencing in August 2010 to engage a Shared Care Clinical Coordinator to provide clinical and coordinating services at the General Practice level, for patients with complex mental illness and/or drug and alcohol disorders. The Shared Care Clinical Coordinators will provide therapeutic sessions for patients and have designated non-clinical time to meet with other agencies and coordinate patient care between general practice, mental health and drug and alcohol services. If the Shared Care Clinical Coordinator is a Mental Health Nurse they will also be supported by General Practice NSW to complete their credentialing with the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses by the end of the 12 month project.
The ten Divisions funded for the Shared Care Project are:
- Central Coast Division of General Practice
- Central Sydney GP Network
- Dubbo Plains Division of General Practice
- Illawarra Division of General Practice
- Mid North Coast (NSW) Division of General Practice
- Northern Sydney General Practice Network
- NSW Central West Division of General Practice
- Riverina Division of General Practice
- Southern General Practice Network
- St George Division of General Practice