Improving management decisions in mental health care through applications of advanced simulation modelling

Mental health services managers must take into account multiple factors when making decisions about the best way to deliver care to clients. Evidence to support decision-makers in choosing from a range of proposed mental health service configurations is lacking. The increasing availability of epidemiological and service use data for mental illness and advanced modelling technology has made feasible the modelling of mental health services. The focus of the proposed research is the development of a modelling tool that will allow scenarios regarding the delivery of mental services to be simulated, enabling predictions to be made about the cost and quality of care in a virtual environment before committing resources to service changes.