Mental health interventions and future major depression among primary care patients with subthreshold depression.

Background: Subthreshold depression is prevalent in primary care and is associated with poorer quality of life, higher health care use and increased risk of major depressive disorder (MDD). Currently, it is unclear how subthreshold depression should be managed in primary care and no studies have investigated the relationship between current models of care and the development of MDD. This study aimed to describe usual care over a six month follow-up for primary care patients with subthreshold depression and to investigate the relationship between usual care and the development of MDD.

Frequency and quality of mental health treatment for affective and anxiety disorders among Australian adults.

Objectives: To describe the frequency, type and quality of mental health treatment among Australian adults with past-year affective and/or anxiety disorders.

Design, Setting And Participants: Retrospective analysis of data for 8831 adults aged 16-85 years interviewed for the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, of whom 17% (n = 1517) met International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10) criteria for a past-year affective and/or anxiety disorder.

Main Outcome Measures: Three levels of mental health treatment received in the past year: (1) any consultation with a health professional for mental health; (2) any evidence-based intervention (antidepressant medication, mood stabiliser medication, cognitive behaviour therapy and/or psychotherapy); and (3) minimally adequate treatment (a "dose" of an evidence-based intervention above a minimum threshold, consistent with treatment guidelines).

Patterns and predictors of primary mental health service use following bushfire and flood disasters.

Background: Mental health care services play an important role following disasters (Reifels et al., 2013). The aim of this study is to examine patterns and predictors of primary mental health care service use, following two major Australian natural disaster events.

Improving access to primary mental healthcare for Indigenous Australians.

Objective: To examine the uptake, population reach and outcomes of primary mental healthcare services provided to Indigenous Australians via the Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) program between 2003 and 2013, with particular reference to enhanced Indigenous ATAPS services introduced from 2010.

Method: Utilising ATAPS program data from a national minimum data set and comparative population data, we conducted descriptive analyses, regression analyses and t-tests to examine the uptake of ATAPS services, provider agency level predictors of service reach, and preliminary outcome data on consumer level outcomes.

Results: Between 2003 and 2013, 15,450 Indigenous client referrals were made that resulted in 55,134 ATAPS sessions.

What happens to coroners' recommendations for improving public health and safety? Organisational responses under a mandatory response regime in Victoria, Australia.

Background: Several countries of the British Commonwealth, including Australia and the United Kingdom, vest in coroners the power to issue recommendations for protecting public health and safety. Little is known about whether and how organisations that receive recommendations act on them. Concerns that recommendations are frequently ignored prompted the government of Victoria, Australia, to introduce a requirement in 2008 compelling organisations that receive recommendations to provide a written statement of action.

Frequent callers to crisis helplines: who are they and why do they call?

Objective: Frequent callers present a challenge for crisis helplines, which strive to achieve optimal outcomes for all callers within finite resources. This study aimed to describe frequent callers to Lifeline (the largest crisis helpline in Australia) and compare them with non-frequent callers, with a view to furthering knowledge about models of service delivery that might meet the needs of frequent callers.

Method: Lifeline provided an anonymous dataset on calls made between December 2011 and May 2013.

Examining disaster mental health workforce capacity.

Objective: We examined the capacity of the disaster mental health workforce in Victoria, Australia, to provide the three evidence-supported intervention types of psychological first aid, skills for psychological recovery, and intensive mental health treatments.

Method: Utilizing data from a cross-professional, state-level disaster mental health workforce survey (n = 791), we developed composite capacity indicators (CCI) for each intervention and performed logistic regression analyses to examine key predictors of disaster mental health workforce capacity.

Results: CCI profiles highlighted significant gaps in the disaster mental health capacity of Victorian providers, with only 32-42% able to deliver current best practice interventions.

Understanding service demand for mental health among Australians aged 16 to 64 years according to their possible need for treatment.

Background: To inform decisions about mental health resource allocation, planners require reliable estimates of people who report service demand (i.e. people who use or want mental health services) according to their level of possible need.

An evaluation of an Australian initiative designed to improve interdisciplinary collaboration in primary mental health care.

This paper reports on a multi-component evaluation of Australia's Mental Health Professionals Network (MHPN). MHPN aims to improve consumer outcomes by fostering a collaborative clinical approach to primary mental health care. MHPN has promoted interdisciplinary communication and networking through activity in three inter-related areas: interdisciplinary workshops supported by education and training materials; fostering ongoing, self-sustained interdisciplinary clinical networks; and a website, web portal (MHPN Online) and a toll-free telephone information line.

Uptake of a national primary mental health program by young people in Australia.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the uptake of an Australian primary mental health care program (Access to Allied Psychological Services) by young people aged 12 to 25 years and the characteristics of consumers and the treatments received. Data were sourced from a national web-based minimum dataset.

Results: Between 1 July 2003 and 30 June 2012, 51 716 young consumers received 245 704 sessions via the primary mental health program.