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Mental Health Hubs celebrate findings of evaluation report
Sept 07, 2022
Three integrated mental health service hubs designed around a pooled funding model have been proven to show a positive impact on the lives of people with severe mental health illness in the North Brisbane and Moreton Bay region.
Brisbane North PHN supports the provision of integrated clinical and non-clinical services for people with severe mental illness through the integrated mental health service hubs and is now celebrating the release of an evaluation report that shows the successful outcomes of the integrated hubs model.
“The evaluation shows that the hubs are effective in reducing the psychological distress of people living with severe mental illness and helping to meet their non-clinical needs—social, physical, and community service,” said Mr Paul Martin, Brisbane North PHN’s Executive Manager of Commissioned Services.
Three separate providers are being contracted by Brisbane North PHN to deliver the hub model across three catchment areas in the north Brisbane and Moreton Bay region: Communify operates the Recovery & Discovery Centre in Bardon, Neami operates the Living & Learning Centre in Strathpine and Stride operates the Stride Hub in Caboolture.
The three integrated mental health service hubs were established using a pooled funding approach to deliver clinical and non-clinical services in one location and facilitate access to tailored packages of care for people with severe mental illness.
An external evaluation by consultants Beacon Strategies reports that the hubs model is an effective pooled funding model that has had a positive impact on the lives of people with severe mental illness.
Brisbane North PHN, hub staff, stakeholders and people with lived experience celebrated the results of the evaluation report at Communify in Bardon last week (Wednesday 24 August) which was live streamed nationally.
"This evaluation shows that the integrated approach improves outcomes for consumers and the results are in—the hubs are having a positive impact," said Mr Martin.
An estimated three per cent of Australian adults suffer from a severe mental illness requiring services and supports ranging from medication management, physical health, alcohol and drug services, psychosocial support, and community services such as housing, education and employment.
“The hubs’ integrated service delivery meets the clinical and non-clinical needs of people with severe and complex mental illnesses,” said Mr Martin.
Feedback from people utilising the hubs has been overwhelmingly positive. “Every aspect of my day-to-day life has changed for the better since I have been attending the hub,” said one client.
Another client noted significant reduction in isolation: “I feel less isolated because I am connected with people who truly understand the struggle of living with severe mental health issues.”
Staff at the hubs have responded positively to the efficacy of the hub model. “The key difference is that people can access a suite of services through that one referral pathway and through that one intake process they can be linked in with a wide variety of health professionals to meet their needs,” said one hub provider.
Key highlights of the evaluation report include:
The hubs were effective in engaging people living in the community with severe mental illness and led to improvements in psychological distress and recovery outcomes, and met the needs of service users.
Over 1,650 episodes of service commenced since establishment; over 38,000 service contacts completed, averaging 23.3 service contacts per episode.
Service users reported positive changes in hope for the future, reduced need to access hospital-based services, overall wellbeing, ability to access services needed, belief in own ability to manage illness, day-to-day living skills.
Evaluation participants consistently reported that the hub model's psychosocial support component facilitates integrated care and is highly valued by service users.
Integration of clinical and non-clinical support provided through the hub model generally leads to positive experiences of service.
For more information, please see:
Evaluation Report
Evaluation Summary
Brisbane North PHN Mental Health Services
My Mental Health website
Communify’s Recovery and Discovery Centre
Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital catchment, inner north Brisbane
Phone 07 3510 2777
Neami’s Living and Learning Centre
The Prince Charles Hospital catchment, Strathpine
Phone 07 3493 6780
Stride Centre
Redcliffe and Caboolture Hospital catchments, Caboolture
Phone 07 4593 0500
