Service Directory
Mental Health Services Directory
The Mental Health Services Directory (MHSD) is an online platform developed by CESPHN to improve the visibility and accessibility of mental health services across Central and Eastern Sydney. The directory supports general practitioners, allied health professionals, and other service providers to locate current referral pathways and contact information for local mental health services, including those tailored to specific population groups such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, multicultural communities, veterans, and children and families.
A major advancement this year was the redevelopment of the wait time feature into a visual Traffic Light Wait Time System, enabling services to independently manage and update their referral availability. This innovation has strengthened transparency around access and allowed for more informed, timely, and appropriate referrals. By enabling visibility of both clinical and psychosocial services, the system supports multidisciplinary decision-making and will contribute to improved care navigation and mental health outcomes with the people of our region.
The MHSD has been actively promoted through CESPHN’s regular participation in local interagency and committee networks. These forums have provided valuable opportunities to connect directly with service providers, promote uptake, and ensure listings remain current and reflective of their capacity. Feedback received through these engagements continues to inform enhancements to the functionality and usability of the directory.
4200
New users
106
New services across clinical and psychosocial services and demographics
”“I think it will be a very useful resource for the child and family sector.”
Health and Community Services Directory
The CESPHN Health and Community Service Directory continues to evolve as a foundation for regional health navigation. Through strategic improvements and community collaboration, CESPHN is committed to making health services more accessible and connected to the needs of Central and Eastern Sydney.
Directory expansion
- Service listings growth: The directory saw a 9% increase in listed services, now encompassing over 1,600 service listings across primary care, mental health, allied health, and community support.
- New categories: Introduced dedicated fields across categories for service navigation, multicultural health, and training and support for health professionals to reflect the diverse range of services offered by providers.
User engagement
- Website traffic: Over the last 12 months visits to the Service Directory webpage have increased substantially. Currently the site is attracting 1500 new users a month, reflecting growing community use.
- Feedback integration: Feedback from over 50 users was reviewed, leading to improvements in search filters and service descriptions,
Technology enhancements
- Mobile optimisation: The directory is fully optimized for mobile devices, improving usability for on-the-go health professionals and consumers.
- Digital literacy: CESPHN created and embedded an explainer video guide to assist users facing barriers in navigating the directory
- Language translation: CESPHN integrated multi-language selector functionality into the website to start enhancing usability and inclusivity across linguistically diverse user groups.
Headstart
Headstart provides community-facing mental health service information to people in Central and Eastern Sydney. It is a digital tool that is regionally managed with the potential to integrate with other regions as needed.
The tool improves service navigation for consumers and carers by providing mental health information relevant to their local area, and it improves integration by bringing together a wide range of local supports into one accessible platform, helping individuals more easily navigate the system. It also fosters collaboration by connecting community members with the right services at the right time, encouraging shared responsibility and stronger links between people, services, and support networks.
Since its inception in 2022, there has been a steady increase in engagement with the site, with the most recent quarter (April – June 25) seeing over 16,400 users and over 68,000 page views. The kinds of service pages visited further emphasise service integration, as users are accessing a wide range of services from LGBTQ+ programs, public mental health services to adolescent online support platforms.
Achievements
- Over the 12 months to June 2025, over 43,000 new users have accessed the platform resulting in over 215,000 pages views. April to June 25 saw the highest activity with Headstart marketing via social media (Google Ads) and out-of-home campaigns (shopping centre digital displays).
- Female users made up the majority of the audience (68%), with strong engagement across pages tailored to women, young people, and carers. Interestingly, the ‘Free services’ filter continued to show higher usage by male users – a trend that reinforces the need to highlight cost-accessible options, particularly for those who may not be accessing traditional help seeking pathways.
- Top-performing pages and service listings continue to reflect a wide variety of needs, with many of the most accessed services supporting young people and those in crisis. These included ReachOut, Quit, The Salvation Army, Twenty 10, YouthBlock, and Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre.
- A mix of digital and in-person options remains important, and the balance between the two continues to deliver a strong user experience.