Head to Health Clinics

To support the mental health needs of Victorians during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Australian Government funded Victorian PHNs to establish Head to Health Clinics and boost essential primary mental health commissioned services to provide dedicated support to people with a mental health need. Victorian PHNs also established the Head to Health phone service, which has since been rebranded to become Medicare Mental Health.

There are three Head to Health Clinics in the North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) region. NWMPHN commissioned existing health care providers to operate the three hubs, which are in Wyndham Vale, Broadmeadows and Fitzroy.

Medicare Mental Health provides care navigation, access to a multidisciplinary mental health team at the Head to Health Clinics and a team-care approach, to complement and supplement GP care.

A national telephone intake and navigation service and a network of physical hubs staffed by experienced mental health workers has been operating since 14 September 2020.