Healthy North Coast is inviting proposals from Participants with a proven track record in delivering mental health services within a community setting. The successful Provider will be responsible for establishing and operating a Coffs Harbour Head to Health service by 1 July 2024, to 30 June 2026.

Head to Health provides a new way for Australians to access free, quality mental health care within their community. Services are fully government funded and provided by multidisciplinary teams, without the need for appointments or GP referrals.

The Coffs Harbour Head to Health service will offer short to medium term care for people with moderate to severe mental health needs, and immediate support and follow-up can be provided to people presenting in crisis.

The primary objective of the Head to Health service is for the selected service Provider to deliver accessible, affordable, trauma informed, and recovery focused mental health services across the Coffs Harbour, Nambucca, and Bellingen LGAs.

The establishment of Coffs Harbour Head to Health service will provide

1. An alternative pathway to access mental health and associated support services with a focus on reducing demand on Emergency Departments and community mental health services.

2. Support GPs to provide community based treatment and care options for people experiencing mental illness and high levels of distress by ensuring an integrated, evidence based, multidisciplinary, clinical and lived experience workforce and digitally connected approach to managing care transitions as part of a stepped model of care.

The proposed service model aligns closely with the Head to Health guidelines and seeks to address the critical mental health needs of the community while fostering a collaborative and holistic approach to care delivery.

The Head to Health Coffs Harbour service is funded as a Head to Health satellite service. To optimize financial resources and direct funds toward service provision, it is imperative for the service to be co located with an existing service provider in the region as stipulated in our funding specifications. In addition to this, the Coffs Harbour service will establish a close connection with the Head to Health Hub in Lismore, aiming to reinforce clinical governance, enhance administrative efficiency, and extend the geographical reach of community-based mental health services. This strategic collaboration addresses existing workforce and infrastructure challenges in the region.

Procurement of the Head to Health Coffs Harbour Satellite is divided into two stages. An open Expression of Interest, and a closed Request for Tender for shortlisted Participants who meet criteria set out in the EOI and are invited by HNC to respond.