Community Treatment, Support and Emergency Response Report
The Community Treatment and Emergency Response (CTER) Project was established in 2021 to provide a clear vision for public specialist community mental health and emergency response services that will best meet the needs of Western Australians.
It identified the need for better integration of community treatment and community support services, with a view to shifting service delivery closer to people’s homes.
The CTER Project provided the framework for the Community Treatment, Support and Emergency Response (CTSER) final report, which focuses on the current state of, and necessary reforms needed for, CTSER services for youth (people aged 16-24 years old) and adults (people aged 18-64 years old).
The CTSER Final Report is informed by consultation with clinicians, people with lived experience and health service providers throughout the project, as well as data from previous reports, service evaluations, CTER data and evidence of good practice nationally and internationally.
It sets a clear vision for a future system where people are supported to stay connected and build a life that has meaning for them through seamless, culturally appropriate, flexible and evidence-informed care in their communities.
To enable the future system, four pillars have been identified – access and assessment; emergency response, community treatment and support and transitions.
Access and Assessment: a single, co-ordinated point of entrance and triage that facilitates timely access to appropriate care – where consumers have confidence they will be directed to the right care, at the right time, with minimal gaps in care.
Emergency Response: people experiencing crisis are supported to access appropriate services that act as an alternative to the ED, ultimately providing service in the most appropriate therapeutic setting and reducing pressure on hospital EDs.
Community Treatment and Support: care is provided in clinics and as outreach by a multidisciplinary team providing responsive, holistic support that is connected to, and delivered in partnership with other mental health and community services, as well as primary care.
Transitions: transitions to other care arrangements happen seamlessly with smooth handovers and the right supports, to minimise disruption and re-traumatising individuals, while ensuring that governance of care is clear and coordinated.
Moving from the current service landscape to the future system will require concerted effort and investment across a range of areas. To achieve this, three Reform Directions have been developed that outline the high-level approach that will need to be taken to make transition from the current state towards the future system.
Reform Direction 1: Deliver services in a more coordinated and integrated way, in partnership with others in the system
Reform Direction 2: Improve the accessibility and availability of community treatment and support services
Reform Direction 3: Establish more seamless, safe, and effective non-ED crisis responses