Almost half of all Australians experience some form of mental health problem at some time in their life.
Mental health conditions are complex, costly and often chronic. They can impact the lives of individuals, families and communities.
Being mentally healthy is not just the absence of illness – it’s also about being socially and emotionally well.
Please be advised Primary Health Tasmania does not deliver health services or crisis support. You can find a list of available helplines at the bottom of this page.
Our commissioned activity
While we do not provide clinical services ourselves, Primary Health Tasmania has commissioned primary mental health services for:
anyone with a mild or moderate mental illness
adults with a complex or severe mental illness
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
young people
people living in aged care facilities.
Search Our Services Portal to find out details about the mental health services we commission.
Bushfire emergency support
A bushfire emergency can pose a number of mental health-related risks. Click here to find out more about mental health services and support for Tasmanians affected by bushfires.
Psychosocial support
When we talk about psychosocial support, we’re talking about programs and activities designed to help people with a severe mental illness increase their functioning in day-to-day life.
Primary Health Tasmania has commissioned the delivery of psychosocial support services in Tasmania. We are also working with stakeholders to identify and address barriers faced by people with mental illness when testing for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The Australian Government is funding a trial of eight Adult Mental Health Centres across Australia, with one to be established in each state and territory. Launceston has been chosen as the location for the Tasmanian centre.
eMental health refers to the use of the web and other communication technologies to provide mental health services and support. This includes things like online support groups, podcasts and apps.
Head to Health is a great place to start if you’re searching for information about digital mental health resources and services.
Tasmanian Communications Charter
Tasmania is the first state to adopt the National Communications Charter — a unifying resource for mental health, suicide prevention, government, business, and community organisations. On a local level, the Tasmanian Communications Charter champions a safe and stigma-free approach to talking about suicide that is consistent across various branches of the community.
Primary Health Tasmania is signatory to the Tasmanian Communications Charter.
For years, stress was simply a way of life for Stephanie*.
The Launceston local’s days – and most of her nights – were filled with the demands of caring, and it was starting to take a toll on her mind and body.
“I was basically just on that hamster wheel of no sleep and lots of stress,” she says.
That was until she met the team at Wellways and completed the Optimal Health Program – a self-management course that aims to improve individual wellbeing and build on people’s strengths and values.
Tasmania is one of 12 sites around the country taking part in the Australian Government-funded trial, which aims to test how a more coordinated approach can help local communities reduce the rate of suicide attempts and deaths by suicide.
Many young Tasmanians who have a mental health condition also experience alcohol and other drug issues.
Primary Health Tasmania has received Australian Government funding to support young people in north and north west Tasmania who experience both mental health and alcohol and other drug issues.
We will use the funding to make dedicated workers available to clients of existing mental health services who also experience alcohol and other drug issues.
We are working with the Tasmanian Health Service to put this new model in place.
This new initiative aims to improve health outcomes for this group of young people and keep them out of hospital.
It will also aim to improve integration between mental health and alcohol and other drug treatment services, and between state and federally funded services.
Mental health service planning and delivery
Primary Health Tasmania, along with the Tasmanian Department of Health and the Tasmanian Health Service, has partnered with the Mental Health Council of Tasmania, the National Disability Insurance Agency, Flourish and Mental Health Families and Friends Tasmania to develop a new approach to mental health service planning and delivery.
The result is Rethink 2020, which comes five years after the Tasmanian Government published its plan to improve mental health outcomes for all Tasmanians: Rethink Mental Health Better Mental Health and Wellbeing – A Long-Term Plan for Mental Health in Tasmania 2015-25.
Rethink 2020 takes stock of key milestones achieved so far – such as progress towards mental health integration hubs, improved youth mental health support in the north west, and the launch of a mental health peer workforce strategy – while also elevating new areas of focus as key mental health priorities for the state.
