We’ve created a list of local area mental health services in Melbourne. These are public services. Here you will find Melbourne psychiatrists, community mental health nurses and social workers. Anyone can refer to their services. Seeing a public Melbourne psychiatrist usually starts with a phone call to their triage service. We have listed their phone numbers below. These services provide short term community-based crisis care and longer-term case management. In addition, Melbourne Psychologists do provide therapy at these public services.
We’ve listed phone numbers that you use to reach these services. Please scroll down or use the menu to find your nearest service. Often when you call during business hours, you will be put through to reception. The receptionist generally isn’t someone with mental health qualification, they won’t be able to provide you advice. Instead, they will listen to you and direct you to the right person.
In most cases when you call these numbers outside of reception hours, you will hear a recorded message. That recorded message usually has a triage phone number. Hang up, and then call the triage number if you need to speak to a mental health professional in that area. If it is an emergency, call ‘000’.
It’s unlikely that you will speak to a psychiatrist or psychologist straight away. Different community mental health services have different procedure and system they follow. Usually, after you speak with a mental health nurse or social worker at triage, your story or presentation is discussed with their team. They will decide how best they can help you. Thereafter, they will call or visit you to discuss their plans and suggestions. Their plans might include you seeing a Melbourne psychiatrist for an assessment. Their team might suggest you see a local Melbourne Psychologist for therapy. That you go back to see your GP. Or they might think you need to go into hospital. They may also take you on as a longer-term client, under one of their Melbourne Psychiatrist.
Accessing professional care for mental health concerns can be a challenge in Melbourne. There are different service providers. Some services like those listed above are public. There are private Melbourne psychiatrists and Psychologists. In addition, there are NGOs, NDIS providers and other organisations that provide mental health care. Also, we must keep in mind that the bulk of mental health care, especially prescribing happens in GP clinics.
At Epsychiatry we have Melbourne Psychiatrists and Melbourne Psychologists who see our clients. However, we provide telehealth service. You can see one of our doctors or psychologist using Zoom or Skype. Since the start of the COVID19 outbreak, we stopped running our regional clinics.
We hope you have found this list useful. Contact our friendly support team if you would like to speak with one of the psychiatrists or psychologists.