Better. Together. takes mental health care closer to home
Funding secured to expand multidisciplinary mental health care across the Murrumbidgee
Of Australia’s 31 Primary Health Networks successfully secured funding, including MPHN
LGAs will be reached as Better. Together. expands from its existing five-LGA pilot, with services embedded in general practice
A major investment secured during 2025-26 will transform how people with severe and complex mental health needs can access care across the Murrumbidgee.
Better. Together. builds on MPHN’s Mental Health Nurse-led model and subsequent Team Care pilot, using what was learned to create a larger multidisciplinary model embedded within general practice.
Consultation with pilot providers helped shape an important evolution: care teams will include peer workers and health linkers alongside mental and allied health clinicians. These roles can help people navigate appointments, community services and social factors such as housing, isolation and other challenges, allowing clinicians to focus more fully on clinical care.
Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN) Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs Manager, Maja Asmus, said, “General practice is central to the model because, for some people, their GP may be their only connection to the health system.”
The impact of providing mental health support through general practice can already be seen in the Snowy Valleys. Tumut-based clinician at Moving Tails, Kate Ludford, said being able to walk through a familiar door and access coordinated care close to home can make a big difference.
“One client had not left his home for 12 months, except to attend the medical centre to see me and his care team,” said Kate.
“These regular visits provided a trusted connection and a place where he felt supported. Over time, through consistent and compassionate care, he began to reconnect with life beyond his home. Today, he is living an active and productive life, engaging confidently in his community and participating in activities that are meaningful to him.”
Embedding multidisciplinary care in that familiar setting also creates opportunities to address the poorer physical health outcomes often experienced by people with severe mental illness.
Better. Together. will operate through hubs in Wagga Wagga, Young, Griffith and Deniliquin, delivering face-to-face services through general practices across all 21 LGAs.
The scale-up represents one of MPHN’s major achievements of 2025-26. MPHN secured the funding, validated and refined the model, and undertook the procurement and general practice expression-of-interest processes required to move from pilot to regional delivery.
For Ms Asmus, the ambition is ultimately about “meeting people where they’re at” – providing tailored trauma informed face-to-face support in their own communities and in a healthcare setting they already know and trust.
The next stage will see the workforce established on the ground and referral pathways developed, with both local and national evaluation examining how the model improves care for regional communities.