Availability and consumer experience of mental health crisis services in Australia

ObjectiveThe number of individuals presenting with a mental health crisis in Australia has been steadily increasing. This review aims to identify what crisis intervention services are available in Australia for consumers experiencing a mental health crisis without an underlying severe psychiatric illness, and to explore the experiences of consumers utilizing these services.MethodUsing PRISMA methodology, we conducted a review of four databases (Ovid Medline, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus) for articles relating to lived experience of consumers in Australian crisis intervention services. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, and relevant articles assessed.ResultsEleven articles met the inclusion criteria. Identified crisis services included emergency departments, emergency services, crisis helplines, and community centres. Persistent themes included negative attitudes from staff, discordance around what constitutes a mental health crisis warranting presentation, long wait times, and the role of these services in providing non-clinical emotional support rather than medical interventions.ConclusionThis review identified clear discrepancies in consumer experiences between services, with specific aspects of care consistently linked to either positive or negative experiences. Improving staff communication and addressing judgemental attitudes may improve experiences. System reform would be better guided by further research into why consumers engage with specific crisis services.