Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care initiative

The Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care Program (Better Outcomes) is an initiative of the Commonwealth Government and was introduced in 2001.

The program aims to improve community access to quality primary mental health care by recognising the important role of GPs in managing mental health problems and enabling team arrangements for referral of patients to allied health services.

Since the introduction of the 'Better Access to Mental Health Care program', some aspects of the Better Outcomes program have changed since it was first introduced.

Currently the Better Outcomes Program has three components:

1. Focussed psychological strategies - specific mental health care treatment strategies derived from evidence based psychological therapies.
2. Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) - enables GPs to refer consumers to allied health professionals who deliver focused psychological strategies.
3. GP Psych Support - provides GPs with access to patient management advice from psychiatrists.

For more information about the Better Outcomes Program please visit the link below.