Head to Health – A New Connected Digital/ Online Experience

In 2020, the Productivity Commission’s report outlined a fragmented mental health system that was failing Australians in need. The human and systemic problems it outlined were then exacerbated by COVID-19. Starting in mid-2021, this project aimed to understand what role digital innovation might have in addressing these issues, and how it might support better health outcomes for Australians. Despite improving community awareness, people experiencing poor mental health continued to struggle: - to understand what they were experiencing and if they should act - to find the right service/s for their needs - with concerns about wait times and service costs

Multiple rounds of user-centred design with people with lived experience, general public, carers, service providers, and health professionals mapped the current experiences, explored opportunities, and designed solutions from Oct 2021-Mar 2022. This required a supportive, respectful, and trauma-informed research approach. It identified key areas to focus on: - Creating a clearer entry point/pathway - Making it quicker to spot the signs - Helping people understand their best options - Reducing friction - Enabling a blended on/offline approach From April 2022-23, the new approach (addressing all the points above) was publicly trialled and refined, leading to the launch of the new digital experience in June 2023.

This project helps more Australians experiencing mental health challenges (and people who support them) be heard, find a path forward, and access services that are right for them - through a new integrated, personalised experience. New features such as the quiz provide clinically safe tailored advice on actions to take, based on demographic factors, nature and severity of mental health issues, and personal preference. Trials show that the quiz scoring is matching the results of clinical assessment. It's also helping the 54% of people who never seek help and who don’t need medical intervention better self-manage their mental health.

Partnership and integration are key to the new digital experience. - The Head to Health quiz provides a personalised, guided experience to help people navigate the mental health system. The algorithm, prognostic assessment, and clinical advice were developed in partnership with the University of Melbourne and based on validated clinical testing. - The quiz and service finder tool for health professionals draw upon thousands of services available online, in person and via phone. These services are drawn from different authoritative sources including healthdirect and health authorities while digital mental health service providers can directly maintain their service listings in Head to Health.