Developing fit-for-purpose funding models for rural settings: Lessons from the evaluation of a step-up/step-down service in regional Australia

Sub-acute mental health community services provide a bridging service between hospital and community care. There is limited understanding of the local factors that influence success, and of the funding implications of delivering services in rural areas.

Citation:
Coleman M, Cuesta-Briand B, Ngo H, Bass R, Mills-Edward N, Ennals P. Developing fit-for-purpose funding models for rural settings: Lessons from the evaluation of a step-up/step-down service in regional Australia. Front Psychiatry. 2023;14

Keywords:
Community mental health; funding model; rural disparities; rural settings; service evaluation; step-up/step-down care

Abstract:
Sub-acute mental health community services provide a bridging service between hospital and community care. There is limited understanding of the local factors that influence success, and of the funding implications of delivering services in rural areas.