Average cost per treatment day of non-admitted care provided by mental health services

Rationale

Public community mental health services consist of a range of community-based services such as emergency assessment and treatment, case management, day programs, rehabilitation, psychosocial, residential services and continuing care. The aim of these services is to provide the best health outcomes for the individual through the provision of accessible and appropriate community mental health care.

Public community-based mental health services are generally targeted towards people in the acute phase of a mental illness who are receiving post-acute care. 

Efficient functioning of public community mental health services is essential to ensure that finite funds are used effectively to deliver maximum community benefit. This indicator provides a measure of the cost-effectiveness of treatment for public psychiatric patients under public community mental health care (non-admitted/ambulatory patients).

Target

The 2025-26 target for average cost per treatment day of non-admitted care provided by mental health services is $637. Improved or maintained performance is demonstrated by a result below or equal to target.

Results

Commentary

Community Mental Health services continue to transition to activity based funding with a 9.3 per cent increase in recorded treatment episodes, which supported EMHS’ provision of these services at a cost significantly below target.