Central Intake/Assessment for Mental Health Services

Programs that coordinate access to outpatient mental health services and/or psychiatric hospitalization and residential treatment facilities in a community by evaluating the nature and severity of an individual's mental health problem, determining which service response would best meet the needs of the patient, doing an eligibility assessment, and providing a referral to (or facilitating placement in) an appropriate program or facility. Mental health triage services may be located in an emergency department, community mental health service, call centre or co-located with other specialized mental health services.