People with a lived experience, like all Queenslanders, seek and deserve lives with meaning and purpose, connection with family and community, and freedom from disadvantage, social exclusion and discrimination.
Why is this important?
To live and remain well and connected to the community, a range of services and supports are required that are person-centred, accessible, comprehensive and integrated.
Shifting minds redefines the focus of service delivery, placing clinical care within a holistic framework that includes having a place to live, participating in education, training and/or work; being socially included; and having good physical health and wellbeing.
Strategic directions
Personalising and integrating care
A flexible, holistic and integrated service system that acknowledges the equal importance of effective clinical treatment alongside psychosocial support and access to services, is vital.
Removing barriers to social and economic participation
Remaining well and connected to family and community is as dependent on equitable access to services and resources, as clinical care.
Strategic priorities
1. Work in partnership to expand integrated models of care
Strengthen coordination between clinical mental health, AOD, physical health, private and non-government sectors. Priority actions for consideration include:
Enhance housing access
- Build on inter-agency initiatives to support Queenslanders with mental illness and problematic AOD use to obtain and sustain safe, secure and affordable housing and pathways out of homelessness.
Increase participation in education and training
- Establish partnerships across the health, school, tertiary and vocational education sectors to improve participation in, and completion of, education and training
Increase workforce participation
- Develop and implement innovative models that expand employment pathways and options for people with moderate and severe mental illness, including social enterprises
- Align job access, disability employment support and work readiness policy and programs for people with a lived experience by working with state and Commonwealth government agencies
Improve access to quality health care
- Progress Queensland’s cross-sector implementation of the Equally Well Consensus Statement to ensure equitable access to quality health care, and attend to the contributors of poor health outcomes
- Develop and expand innovative rural and remote models of care and support, including those that draw on local cross-agency partnerships and technology-based services
Strengthen suicide-related care and support
- Develop service responses and capacity to ensure all people and families receive appropriate and timely assessment, care and support following an episode of self-harm, attempted suicide, or heightened risk
- Ensure assertive follow-up after separation from EDs and inpatient mental health services
Broaden acute and crisis interventions
- Develop new and expanded alternatives to ED presentations and hospital admissions for mental health and AOD emergencies, and suicidal behaviour
- Expand co-responder models to support emergency services in their interactions with people experiencing crises
Improve responses for those in the criminal justice system
- Expand responses to people involved in the criminal justice system through better coordination across mental health, AOD, justice, housing, disability, employment and psychosocial supports.
2. Support the workforce
Enhance the capability and capacity of the workforce to deliver integrated, personalised and trauma-informed care. Priority actions for consideration include:
- Develop a competency-based approach to continuing workforce improvement that includes AOD, children and youth, older persons, rural and remote practice, and consultation liaison roles
- Build knowledge and skills to support good mental health, and respond to mental illness, AOD, and suicide risk beyond health settings
- Develop and support a well-integrated peer workforce.
3. Strengthen human rights protections
Priority actions for consideration include:
- Promote and monitor least restrictive practice in policy and legislation, reduce restrictive practice, and improve responses to human rights complaints
- Align the Mental Health Act 2016 with the proposed Queensland human rights legislation.
