National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health Standards
Digital mental health services offer innovative ways for consumers, carers and families to access services. They can be used as standalone supports that are self-managed or therapist-guided, or as a complement to in-person services.
Digital mental health services can be an effective and equitable way to access support.
Overview
The National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health Standards (the Digital Mental Health Standards) describe the processes and structures that are needed to deliver safe and high-quality care. Where implemented, people can be confident that their service provider is committed to delivering and continuously improving the safety and quality of their service.
Download the Digital Mental Health Standards
Download the guide for service providers
We developed the Digital Mental Health Standards in partnership with service users, consumers, carers, families, clinicians, service providers and technical experts.
The aim of the Digital Mental Health Standards is to improve the quality of digital mental health service provision, and to protect service users and their support people from harm.
The Standards
The Digital Mental Health Standards are comprised of three standards.
Each of the three standards contain:
- a description of the standard
- a statement of intent
- a list of criteria that describe the key areas covered by the standard
- explanatory notes on the context of the standard
- item headings for groups of actions in each criterion
- actions that describe what is required to meet the standard.
Where do the Digital Mental Health Standards apply?
The Digital Mental Health Standards apply to mental health, suicide prevention and alcohol and other related drug services delivered via a digital platform. These can include provision of information, counselling services, treatment services, assessment and referral services and peer-to-peer support forums that are delivered online or via a phone including voice calls, texts or mobile applications.
How to implement the Digital Mental Health Standards
Digital mental health services are encouraged to implement the Digital Mental Health Standards to support safe and high-quality care.
Assessors from an independent accrediting agency can be engaged to test if you are meeting the standards and determine if you meet requirements for the award of accreditation.
The Digital Mental Health assessment framework outlines the steps for service providers to be accredited against the Standards. Our guide for service providers provides examples of evidence that you can use for each action you have to meet. The self-assessment tool can help you monitor progress towards implementation.
Further information is provided on our accreditation page.
Service providers accredited to the Digital Mental Health Standards are listed in our register of accredited services. This provides assurance to the community that your service meets expected standards of safety and quality.
Module for community managed organisations
Community managed organisations may be required to meet the National Safety and Quality Mental Health Standards for Community Managed Organisations (Mental Health Standards for Community Managed Organisations) and the Digital Mental Health Standards.
The Digital Mental Health Module for Community Managed Organisations is a subset of actions from the Digital Mental Health Standards. It enables organisations to meet the requirements of the Mental Health Standards for Community Managed Organisations and the Digital Mental Health Standards in a single assessment process.
It includes 13 actions specific to digital mental health and is only intended for services who already implement the Mental Health Standards for Community Managed Organisations who are providing mental health care via an online platform or over the phone.
Download the Digital Mental Health Module for Community Managed Organisations
Module for primary care
Primary and community healthcare organisations may be required to meet the National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare Service Standards (Primary and Community Healthcare Standards) and the Digital Mental Health Standards.
The Digital Mental Health Module for Primary Care is a subset of actions from the Digital Mental Health Standards that can be used with the Primary and Community Healthcare Standards to complete an assessment to both sets of standards. It enables organisations to meet the requirements of the Primary and Community Healthcare Standards and the Digital Mental Health Standards in a single assessment process.
It includes 17 actions specific to digital mental health and is only intended for services who already implement the Primary and Community Healthcare Standards who are providing mental health care via an online platform or over the phone.
Download the Digital Mental Health Module for Primary Care
If you are unsure if these standards are right for your service, please contact our Safety and Quality Advice Centre.
Resources and advisories
We have developed a wide range of resources and advisories to help you understand and implement the Digital Mental Health Standards.
Action guides
Action guides provide guidance on specific areas of the Digital Mental Health Standards.
- Action guide – Information security management systems
- Action guide – Legislation, regulations, policies and procedures
- Action guide – Partnering with service users in design and governance
- Action guide – Incident management systems and open disclosure
- Action guide – Privacy
- Action guide – Healthcare rights
Assessment resources
- Digital Mental Health Standards assessment framework
- Self-assessment tool - National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health (NSQDMH) Standards
- NSQDMH Standards - Guide for service providers
- Applying the NSQDMH Standards Using a Risk Management Approach - Fact sheet
- Applying the NSQDMH Standards Using a Risk Management Approach - Fact sheet
- Product information template for digital mental health services
- Developing a model of care for a digital mental health service - Fact sheet
- Conducting a virtual assessment to the NSQDMH Standards
- Using PICMoRS for quality improvement and assessment preparation - National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health (NSQDMH) Standards
Advisories
Advisories are formal guidance documents that explain how to interpret or assess our national safety and quality standards. They help health services, accrediting agencies and assessors understand critical information about standards and accreditation. Advisories are routinely reviewed, and revisions are summarised in the notes section of the relevant advisory.
You can view advisories for the Digital Mental Health Standards on our advisories page.