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Supporting Minds

A mental health program on the Gold Coast


Supporting Minds provides up to 3 months moderate-intensity mental health support for people experiencing mild to moderate symptoms. We have programs for:

  • All adults aged 16-65
  • Youth and adults who identify with the LGBTIQAP+ community and/or are questioning sexuality or gender identity (youth aged 12+ and adults aged 16 to 65)

To access Supporting Minds, please call Head to Health on 1800 595 212

Call 1800 595 212 Client referrals
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About Supporting Minds

Supporting Minds is an initiative funded by Gold Coast PHN and delivered by Wesley Mission Queensland. It provides up to 3 months (short-term) clinical and non-clinical recovery-focused psychosocial support services, in individual and group settings.

Supporting Minds operates under a capped budget, and is intended to provide services only to those with the greatest need, that cannot be appropriately met by other services. 

To check if you, your loved one or your patient is eligible, please call Head to Health on 1800 595 212.

Call 1800 595 212
Download
Download the flyer (PDF 120 KB)
Download
LGBTIQAP+ flyer (PDF 109 KB)

Who the program is for

Supporting Minds was created to support two groups:


Adults aged 16 to 65 who are experiencing mild to moderate symptoms (meeting criteria for a mental health diagnosis, IAR Level 3) due to situational distress, such as:

  • Homelessness or at risk of homelessness
  • Experiencing domestic and family violence (DFV) issues
  • Having current legal procedures pending
  • Experiencing significant financial hardship


Culturally specific support for youth and adults aged 12 to 65 who identify with the LGBTIQAP+ community and/or are questioning sexuality or gender identity.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Supporting Minds service provides:

  • Identify an individual’s goals and needs and develop a plan to meet these
  • An assigned wellbeing consultant who acts as a care coordinator
  • Up to 6 sessions of one-to-one therapy using a range of evidence-based therapeutic interventions
  • Peer group support
  • Access to user-friendly digital resources Support and guidance if long-term support is required
Supporting Minds operates across the entire Gold Coast region.
1. Adults aged 16 to 65 years
  • Experiencing mild to moderate symptoms and would benefit from short-term limited service of up to 3 months
  • People experiencing their environment as highly stressful. Life circumstances to be considered when assessing situational distress include:

- significant transitions (e.g., job loss, relationship breakdown, sudden or unexpected death of loved one)
- trauma (e.g., physical, psychological, or sexual abuse, witnessing or being a victim of an extremely violent incident, natural disaster)
- experiencing harm from others (including violence, vulnerability, exploitation)
- interpersonal or social difficulties (e.g., conflict with friend or colleague, loneliness, social isolation, bullying, relationship difficulties)
- performance related pressure (e.g., work, school, exam stress)
- ability to or difficulty having basic physical, emotional, environmental, or material needs met (such as homelessness, unsafe living environment, poverty) and
- legal issues.

Note: It is desirable (not essential) for people to have a Health Care Card
2. LGBTIQAP+ aged 12 to 65 years
  • People aged 12-65 who identify as LGBTIQAP+, or are questioning sexuality or gender identity and require culturally specific support.
  • Experiencing mild to moderate mental distress and would benefit from short-term limited service for up to 3 months.
  • Have a health care card or do not have the financial means to access other services.
  • Face-to-face
  • Phone or web-based consultations
  • Group therapy
Contact the Head to Health service by calling 1800 595 212, Monday to Friday, 8.30 am-5 pm.

Head to Health service is available to ALL Queenslanders, with or without a Medicare card. You do not need an ID or Mental Health plan to access the service. This is a FREE service. You must meet the Supporting Minds eligibility criteria to access the program. 

Head to Health phone service offers guidance for people who are unsure of where to seek appropriate support, for themselves or someone they care for.

GPs, psychiatrists, and other health professionals can also use the phone service to find care options for their patients.

Anyone can self-refer to the Head to Health service by calling 1800 595 212, Monday to Friday, 8.30 am-5 pm. For the Supporting Minds program, you must meet the eligibility criteria. 
When you call Head to Health, an experienced mental health professional will listen and work with you to find the best ways to get you the help you need. They will make an assessment and refer you (or your client) to the appropriate type of service, with your consent.
Services delivered under the Supporting Minds Program are provided by qualified and experienced mental health workers.
Once the referral has been accepted, WMQ aims to see the person within 14 days or in the case of suicide prevention, within 7 days. Any delays in the commencement of the service will be communicated to the referrer. Any allocation delays will be communicated to the referrer by the H2H intake staff. Clinical responsibility for clients referred will remain with the referrer until seen by the Supporting Minds service.

If you (or your patient) are not eligible for Supporting Minds, Head to Health intake team will provide recommendations for alternative forms of support.

No, anyone can call 1800 595 212, whether they already have a GP mental health treatment plan or not. If they believe you require a mental health treatment plan, they can discuss that with your GP with your consent.

Information for Health Professionals

Additional information on service model

  • Assigned Wellbeing Consultant to act as care coordinator throughout service contact duration
  • Immediate brief Mental Health intervention and safety planning if required
  • Service plan is developed together and tailored to suit individual needs with a focus on improving mental health outcomes while recognising the complex and varied factors influencing peoples’ distress
  • Agree on care and support delivery of services linked to the client service plan for up to 12 weeks
  • Time-limited, one-to-one support (up to 8 sessions) brief interventions
  • Regular contact
  • Supportive, flexible, and non-clinical
  • Intentional peer/support
  • Family/carer support
  • Guidance and encouragement to access digital self-help resources
  • Promote community participation
  • Access to unlimited WMQ groups throughout engagement in the program
  • Groups facilitated by well-being consultants and mental health clinicians
  • Referral to web-based clinician-moderated interventions
  • Mental Health clinical support:

o Up to 6 sessions of 1:1 structured psychological therapy from a tertiary qualified mental health clinician
o Evidence-based therapeutic interventions including (but not limited to);

- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behaviour therapy (DBT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Insight-oriented therapy
- Supportive psychotherapy
- Interpersonal psychotherapy
- Narrative therapy

How to make a referral

Supporting Minds accepts referrals from GPs, psychiatrists, community-based organizations, tertiary health services, and self-referrals.

Referrals can be made using any of the options below:

  1. By calling Head to Health on1800 595 212
    (recommended for self-referrals)
  2. By completing the Gold Coast PHN referral form and returning to the contact detail included in the form.

    GCPHN Referral form
  3. By completing the Supporting Minds direct referral form and returning to the contact details included in the form. Referrals will be sent directly to Supporting Minds.

    Supporting Minds Direct Referral form

Step 1 - Make sure the client meets the core eligibility requirements:

  • Resides in the Gold Coast PHN region
  • Mild to moderate symptoms (meeting criteria for a mental health diagnosis)
  • Symptoms present 6+ months – client likely complexity on risk or coexisting conditions, but not at severe levels
  • Benefit from short-term (up to 3 months) intervention
  • Evidence of financial disadvantage

Step 2 - Complete the referral Form 

Step 3 - Fax the referral form to the contact detail included in the form

If using the GCPHN form, you can send the referral form via Secure Messaging:

  • Medical Objects ID - Referrals GCPHN (RG4220000HJ)

When you send a referral, Head to Health will contact your client and keep you informed of the allocation of that referral.

Step 3a - If the referral is approved

After the client's request is accepted, they will be assigned to WMQ and informed about when they can start.

Step 3b - If the client is not eligible

If the client is found to be ineligible, our intake team will reach out to the referrer and provide recommendations for alternative forms of support.

Download

Supporting Minds direct referral form

.PDF (0.2 MB)
Call Head to Health on 1800 595 212

Alternative to the referral form

Refer your client to Head to Health for an assessment by one of their mental health clinicians. They will determine the most suitable referral option to help your client. The client can contact Head to Health at a convenient time on 1800 595 212 (Monday to Friday, 8.30 am - 5pm).