Emergency Mental Health (EMH)

What we do

Our clinicians provide specialist assessment, consultation, short-term care and referral for people of any age who are experiencing a mental health crisis when they are in an Emergency Department. We are staffed by experienced clinicians from multidisciplinary backgrounds.

We have mental health clinicians based in the Emergency Departments at the Northern Hospital, Sunshine Hospital and the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Our clinicians also provide ongoing education and training for Emergency Department staff in identifying, assessing and managing people who are at risk of self-harm or are experiencing a mental illness.

Emergency Mental Health clinicians also staff the Mental Health and Police Response (MHaPR) Service . Senior clinicians working alongside a police officer from local police stations respond to referrals from police where there is concern that a person may be mentally unwell and at risk to themselves or others. This provides timely access to specialist mental health assessment and referral for police, as well as an integrated approach between police and mental health services.

Eligibility

Our service can be accessed by people of any age who are experiencing a mental health crisis.

Frequency

We provide this service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Locations

Find out more about Emergency Mental Health (EMH) locations.

Referrals

Referrals are made to our service following the triage process on entry to the Emergency Department, using the Australasian Triage Rating Scale.