Digital Mental Health Connect (DMHC)

DMHC introduces a digital decision support layer that accelerates timely access, maximises capacity utilisation, and deepens cross-sector care integration. 

Co-developed by MOHT and the Ministry of Health’s National Mental Health Office (NMHO), DMHC supports the National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy by strengthening referral coordination across mental health, social and community care pathways. MOHT drives programme management, evidence generation and stakeholder alignment across the mental healthcare and health technology ecosystems. 

Aim Statement

To co-develop a digital mental health triage and referral algorithm to put into practice the Tiered Care Model depicted in the National Mental Health & Well Being Strategy ↗ (opens in new tab). The goal is to strengthen coordination and delivery across tiers and sectors, reducing care fragmentation for adult and youth population segments.  

Why It Matters

• Referral pathways for mental health support across more than 450 health, social, and community partners remain unclear and fragmented, creating delays and poor user experience. 

• Siloed and episodic care delivery undermines patient experience and service utilisation at a point of need.    

• As demand for mental health support services continues to grow, it is important to strengthen system capacity and coordination to mitigate further service delays and inefficiencies.  

Summary

• Population: Adults and youths in the general population needing mental health support 

• Intervention: Digital mental health triage and referral algorithm for clinicians and counsellors, integrated into existing social and health case management systems 

• Comparator: Usual referral pathways 

• Outcomes: More timely access to appropriate support, better service coordination, and reduced delays in care navigation 

Key Results To Date

• Stakeholder support and proof of viability for coordinated referral logic for adult mental health services: drove stakeholder engagement, facilitating alignment across agencies and service providers to validate the coordinated referral logic for adult mental health services. 

• Clinical care protocols co-developed and mapped: led the co-development and mapping of clinical care protocols, working closely with clinical partners to ensure relevance and feasibility. 

• Workflow readiness aligned with Healthier SG priorities: actively involved in aligning workflow development, ensuring that the referral pathways and service coordination are future-ready. 

• High alignment and engagement across public health, social, and education stakeholders. 

• Digital workflows being mapped in collaboration with IT partners (detailed workflow mapping and stakeholder readiness focus). IT architecture and solutioning underway, with plans to leverage existing national platforms such as the National Referrals Platform (NRP). 

• Early work on evaluation frameworks and adjunct tool reviews to support future integration.