For Health Professionals
Mental Health
HealthWISE comprises a team of experienced mental health professionals dedicated to treating and supporting individuals with various mental health illnesses, disorders, or difficulties, including anxiety and depression. This page provides detailed information on our mental health services, locations and referral options.
How can HealthWISE Assist People and Who Can Access Services?
HealthWISE provides services to a wide range of individuals facing various mental health challenges, including:
- Stress at work or home
- Difficulties with children
- Grief & loss
- Trauma
- Anxiety & depression
- Pregnancy and post birth
- Stress management
Our services are available to:
- Individuals experiencing mild to moderate mental disorders with limited access to alternative mental health services
- Women and families experiencing perinatal depression and/or anxiety
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people experiencing depression and anxiety
- People at moderate risk of suicide or self-harm (specific locations)
- People experiencing mental health issues related to natural disasters
- People recovering from trauma associated with domestic and family violence (specific locations)
This support is delivered by our team of mental health practitioners and support coordinators.
Service Locations
Our services are available across the New England North West of New South Wales and the Darling Downs West Moreton region in Queensland. Services can be delivered face-to-face and via telehealth.
NSW Locations: Armidale, Barraba, Glen Innes, Inverell, Manilla, Narrabri, Quirindi, Tamworth, Walcha, Gunnedah, Tenterfield, Wee Waa, Moree, Warialda and Bingara
QLD Locations: Ipswich, Southern Downs
Additional Mental Health Programs
Universal Aftercare (NSW)
Universal Aftercare provides rapid, assertive follow-up and ongoing psychosocial support for individuals experiencing a suicidal crisis, those who have attempted suicide, and people impacted by suicide. The program aims to reduce suicide risk, strengthen protective factors, and improve continuity of care following a suicidal event.
How Can this Service Help?
The service is designed to:
provide up to three months of proactive, trauma-informed support
enhance a person’s capacity to self-manage distress and improve mental wellbeing
support recovery by strengthening social connectedness with family, carers, community, and service providers
increase the confidence and capability of families, friends, and carers to support the individual to live safely
improve pathways and linkages to community-based supports to address psychosocial needs
promote equity of access for people experiencing suicidality across regional and rural areas
Support Methods
Service delivery can occur face to face, by phone, or via telehealth. Where a Support Coordinator is not available in a person’s LGA, telehealth is offered.
Service Locations
Support is delivered by the HealthWISE Wellbeing Team across the following LGAs:
Tamworth
Gunnedah
Walcha
Liverpool Plains
Moree Plains
Narrabri
Gwydir
Inverell
Tenterfield
Uralla
Armidale
Glen Innes
How your patients can access these services
Eligible referral sources include:
self-referral
GPs
Local Health District services
All referrals are received centrally by the Service Support Program Officers, who make contact within 24 hours. Referrals are triaged and allocated according to LGA availability.
A Mental Health Treatment Plan is not required.
Fees and Payments
This program is free of charge through funding from the Australian Government via the Hunter New England Central Coast Primary Health Network and the Agency for Clinican Innovation.
Supporting Recovery
Supporting Recovery is available to individuals and families in the in the Moree, Inverell, Glen Innes, Armidale and Tamworth Local Government Areas (LGA) who have been impacted by domestic, family, and or sexual violence. Delivered in partnership with Anglicare and Moree Family Support, the program offers mental health care and connects individuals to a range of services including legal, financial and housing support through a dedicated local care team.
The Supporting Recovery Program is delivered in partnership with Anglicare and Moree Family Support and is available to individuals and families in the above LGA’s.
How can HealthWISE assist?
HealthWISE offers trauma-informed mental health support to victim-survivors of domestic, family, or sexual violence, including children and other affected family members. The program provides mental health care as well as assistance with accessing essential services such as legal, financial, and housing support.
Services are available to people of all identities, including First Nations peoples, individuals with disabilities, people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and members of the Rainbow community.
Note: This is not a crisis service. In an emergency, please direct patients to call 000 or 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) for immediate support.
Fees and Payments
This program is free of charge through funding from the Australian Government via the Hunter New England Central Coast Primary Health Network.
Service Locations
The Supporting Recovery Program is available for individuals and families within the Moree, Inverell, Glen Innes, Armidale and Tamworth Local Government Areas (LGAs).
How your patients can access these services
Patients can access the program through self-referral or via case management support from local organisations like HealthWISE, Anglicare and Moree Family Support.
For more information about the Supporting Recovery Program or the referral process, you can contact us:
- Phone: 1800 931 540
- Email: mental.health@healthwise.org.au
Priority Populations
HealthWISE provides psychological therapy for individuals experiencing mental illness who would benefit from short-term psychological treatment. This service is designed for those who can be managed in a primary mental health care setting and is not an acute or crisis service.
Eligibility Criteria
- First Nations people.
- People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds.
- Older people that are isolated and/or living alone – 55 years and over for First Nations and over 65 years for general community.
- People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex (LGBTI) for who stigma and lack of appropriate services may provide barriers to care.
- People with disabilities.
- People experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness.
- People living in rural and remote communities.
- People at risk of, or who have inflicted, self- harm, attempted suicide or who have suicidal ideation and can be appropriately managed in a primary health care setting.
- People living in communities affected by natural disasters (ie drought, floods and bushfires).
How can HealthWISE assist?
The program offers focused psychological strategies that are time-limited and evidence-based, making them suitable for common mental health disorders.
Support Methods
- Short-term psychological therapy.
- Treatment provided by registered mental health professionals.
- Culturally appropriate and inclusive services.
Service Locations
HealthWISE provides mental health services across the New England North West region of NSW.
How Your Patients Can Access These Services
Referrals, including a Mental Health Treatment Plan, from a GP, Paediatriacian, Psychiatrist, or maternal or child health nurse must be sent to the Statewide Intake and Assessment Hub. More information can be found below.
Clients can access a maximum of 12 sessions per calendar year.
Fees and Payments
This program is free of charge through funding from the Australian Government via the Hunter New England Central Coast Primary Health Network.
Clinical Care Coordination
HealthWISE Mental Health Care Services provide Clinical Care Coordination to people who have a clinical diagnosis of complex, enduring mental health conditions and complex co-morbidities which significantly impacts their social, personal and work life. The person must have been to hospital at least once for treatment of their mental illness or are at risk of needing hospitalisation in the future if appropriate treatment and care is not provided.
Eligibility Criteria
- People living in rural and remote areas.
- People experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness.
- Women experiencing perinatal depression.
- People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds.
- People who identify as lesbian, gay, transgender or intersex (LGBTI) for who stigma and lack of appropriate services may provide barriers to care.
- People with intellectual disability and co-occurring mental illness, for whom there are barriers to receiving appropriate mental health treatment.
- First Nations peoples.
- People at risk of suicide.
- People in drought affected communities and other natural disasters.
How can HealthWISE assist?
- Provide clinical care services for clients within their scope of practice.
- Liaise closely with family and carers as appropriate.
- Regular monitoring of the patient’s mental health state.
- Provide information on physical health care to clients where appropriate.
- Improve links to other health professionals and clinical service providers.
Service Locations
HealthWISE provides mental health services across the New England North West region of NSW.
How Your Patients Can Access These Services
Referrals, including a Mental Health Treatment Plan, from a GP, Paediatriacian, Psychiatrist, or maternal or child health nurse must be sent to the Statewide Intake and Assessment Hub. More information can be found below.
Fees and Payments
This program is free of charge through funding from the Australian Government via the Hunter New England Central Coast Primary Health Network.
Clinical Care Coordination
HealthWISE Mental Health Care Services provide Clinical Care Coordination to people who have a clinical diagnosis of complex, enduring mental health conditions and complex co-morbidities which significantly impacts their social, personal and work life. The person must have been to hospital at least once for treatment of their mental illness or are at risk of needing hospitalisation in the future if appropriate treatment and care is not provided.
Eligibility Criteria
- Those aged 16 years and over living in the Southern Downs region (Warwick and Stanthorpe) with complex mental illness.
How can HealthWISE assist?
- Provide clinical care services for clients.
- Liaise closely with family and carers as appropriate.
- Regular monitoring of the patient’s mental health state.
- Provide information on physical health care to clients where appropriate.
- Improve links to other health professionals and clinical service providers.
Fees and Payments
This program is free of charge through funding from the Australian Government via the Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network.
Service Locations
HealthWISE provides mental health services in Stanthorpe and Warwick.
How Your Patients Can Access These Services
Referrals via GP or psychiatrist.
Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) is required for ALL referrals.
Referrals to be sent directly to HealthWISE:
Email: mentalhealth@healthwise.org.au
Fax: 1300 452 059
Psychosocial Support
This service offers a range of confidential, non-clinical supports for individuals experiencing complex mental illness. It includes advocacy to assist clients in connecting with appropriate health professionals and community services, ensuring coordinated care and improved health outcomes.
Support to:
- Develop social networks and fostering community connections
- Build day-to-day living skills
- Set goals to support life skills and vocational development
- Maintain physical health and wellbeing
Eligibility
The program is available to individuals aged 16 years and over who reside in Ipswich or the Southern Downs region and are experiencing mental illness that significantly impacts psychosocial wellbeing, personal life, and work life.
Clients do not require a formal clinical diagnosis to qualify. The program is designed for individuals with severe and complex mental health conditions who would benefit from short-term, intensive supports aimed at building active living skills.
Individuals must:
- Be aged 16 years or older
- Live in the community (not in prison or psychiatric/residential facility), with the ability to fully participate in community life
- Live with severe mental health challenges that significantly impair ability to perform daily activities
- Have no concurrent access to similar psychosocial supports via:
- The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), or a state/territory-funded program.
Referrals can be made by individuals, family and carers, GPs, or other health professionals.
Referrals to be sent directly to HealthWISE:
Email: mentalhealth@healthwise.org.au
Fax: 1300 452 059
- You can phone Medicare Mental Health (Previously Head to Health) 1800 595 212.
- Visit a Medicare Mental Health Centre and nominate HealthWISE as a provider.
How your patients can access these services
Referrals to PHN-Commissioned Mental Health Services use the Australian Government’s Head to Health Statewide Intake and Assessment Hub & Spoke Model. In this model, the Intake and Assessment (IAR) occurs centrally, and the referrals are managed locally by a service funded by each PHN.
Referrals are directed to the hub for assessment before the Referral Spoke service allocates the referral to local mental health services.
For further information, please refer to the Head to Health website or contact the service provider on 1800 595 212.
