In this discussion, this expert panel will answer any and all questions related to managing mental health emergencies.

Some of the content we aim to explore and discuss includes:

• The assessment and management of the sub-acute, chronic, and acute mental health patients, including strategies for junior or inexperienced clinicians.
• Analysis of the community care, emergency department care and ambulance service care for these patient groups.
• The impact of traditional medical ambulance care being applied to the mental health cohort.
• New and emerging systems of care to provide optimal patient outcomes, limit unnecessary ED presentations and improve ambulance availability.

Additional resources:

• https://www.bettersafercare.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-04/Guidance_Acute%20behavioural%20disturbance.pdf
• https://acem.org.au/getmedia/2f351ebe-c139-4f8b-b8e5-a7578561e0d4/S817_Restrictive-Practices-ED-Statement
• https://finalreport.rcvmhs.vic.gov.au/fact-sheets/
• https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/mentalhealth/psychosocial/principles/Pages/trauma-informed.aspx
• https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/mental-health-and-suicide-prevention/what-were-doing-about-mental-health
• https://cmhl.org.au/learning-hub

Biographies:

Angela Iliopoulos Angela is a paramedic with 20 years of experience in both Ambulance Service NSW and Ambulance Victoria. For the last 10 years, she has worked in Ambulance Victoria’s Secondary Triage Services, as a Triage Practitioner and a Team Leader. She is passionate about mental health in the pre-hospital environment and has been involved in operationalising embedded Mental Health Nurses in Secondary Triage, and more recently in the TelePrompt Pilot. This model of care enables paramedics to call a Mental Health Clinician from the patient’s house, and conduct a 3-way phone assessment, to ensure the best outcome is reached for the patient.

Shaun Baxter Shaun is an Emergency and Retrieval Physician working at The Alfred Hospital and Adult Retrieval Victoria. He is the medical lead in the Alfred Emergency Department Behaviour of Concern (BOC) working group, and is involved with staff education, process and guideline development, and case review of tier 1 aggression alerts. He was a member of the Safer Care Victoria Expert Working Group that developed the Statewide Acute Behavioural Disturbance Guidance.

Alex Merrett Alex is a Mental Health Clinician working for a Metro Area Mental Health Service specialising in crisis assessment. Alex has a background in Psychology and Social Work with experience in Community, Sub-Acute and Emergency Department settings over the past 6 years. Alex holds a Bachelor of Psychology from Deakin University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Melbourne. Alex is also finishing his studies as a Paramedic at ACU and works for Ambulance Victoria as a surge responder.

Ryan Parry Ryan will be hosting this webinar. Ryan is a Clinical Instructor for Ambulance Victoria and Teaching Associate for Monash University, with international experience in both the public and private sectors.Ryan Parry Ryan will be hosting this webinar. Ryan is a Clinical Instructor for Ambulance Victoria and Teaching Associate for Monash University, with international experience in both the public and private sectors.