Service Information Management System decommissioning
In May 2019, the Mental Health Commission advised organisations utilising the Service Information Management System (SIMS) that the system would be decommissioned as of 1 July 2021. All community based organisations contracted by the Mental Health Commission utilising SIMS must be transitioned to their own system before 1 July 2021.
The Mental Health Commission has provided funding to WANADA to assist with the implementation of a system for all interested organisations.
The Commission have secured a contract with Global Health for Mastercare Electronic Medical Record for the provision of a system to Next Step Drug and Alcohol Services and is in the process of transitioning Next Step and the Integrated Services away from SIMS into this new system.
What does this mean for you?
If your organisation is currently utilising SIMS, you will need to transition to a new system before 1 July 2021. Any new system you utilise must be capable of reporting back to the Mental Health Commission in accordance with the AOD data transfer specifications for state and national reporting requirements.
During planning, transition and upon exit from SIMS, you will receive a copy of your data.
Have a question about data reporting requirements? Please have a read of our FAQ below. If you have any other queries regarding support, please contact the SIMS Helpdesk via email Helpdesk.SIMS2@mhc.wa.gov.au.
FAQs – Data reporting requirements post SIMS
Is each treatment with a service to be considered its own episode?
Yes. Each row within the episode file structure equates to an open treatment episode (aka SIMS program) during the reporting period. To ensure accurate reporting, it’s extremely important that each treatment is submitted as a new episode, unless it’s a resubmission of the same treatment episode.
Can we report values that are used for other jurisdictions? (e.g. NSW)
No, the codes listed against each data element must be submitted as per the Mental Health Commission (MHC) data specification requirements.
Can we use a secure method of data transfer?
Yes, agencies are currently receiving their own data from the MHC via this method. Equally we encourage all NGOs to submit their quarterly data via your organisation’s secure file sharing mechanism.
How does the new AOD diversion program affect the data submission?
From 4 January 2021, the adult court diversion referral sources (POP, PMC POP, STIR and IDP) will be replaced with AOD Diversion Program.
Similarly, the adult Start Court diversion referral sources (Start POP and Start STIR) will be replaced with Start Court – AOD Diversion Program.
The new permissible values to represent the changes are:
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 35 | AOD Diversion Program |
| 36 | Start Court - AOD Diversion Program |
For clear understanding this table represents the mapping of current referral sources to the new program name:
Mapping (grouping)
| New | Previous |
|---|---|
| AOD Diversion Program | Court Diversion - IDP |
| Court Diversion - POP | |
| Court Diversion - STIR | |
| PMC POP | |
| Start Court - AOD Diversion Program | POP Start Court |
| STIR Start Court |
Can you assist with mapping of the language in SIMS to the requirements?
To conceptualise the SIMS terminology to the new data specification reporting requirements, the following may assist:
| SIMS Reference | Specification Data Element |
|---|---|
| Client URN | Client Identifier |
| Occasion Type | Contact Type |
| Birth Country | Country of Birth |
| DOB estimated? | Date Accuracy Indicator |
| End Date | Date of cessation of treatment episode |
| Start Date | Date of commencement of treatment episode |
| Last Injected | Drug last injected |
| Duration (Minutes) | Duration |
| Highest Education | Education Level |
| Program ID | Episode Identifier |
| Is Indigenous | Indigenous Status |
| Living Arrangement | Lives With |
| Program Type | Main treatment type |
| Relationship Status | Marital Status |
| Method of Use | Method of use for principal drug of concern |
| Other Drug 1 | Other drug of concern (1) |
| Other Drug 2 | Other drug of concern (2) |
| Other Drug 3 | Other drug of concern (3) |
| Other Drug 4 | Other drug of concern (4) |
| Other Drug 5 | Other drug of concern (5) |
| Occasion Outcome | Outcome |
| Primary Drug | Principal drug of concern |
| Outcome | Reason for cessation of treatment episode |
| Exit Referred To | Referred To |
| Occasion Date | Service Contact Date Time |
| Gender | Sex |
| Surname | SLK-Family Name |
| Forename | SLK-Given Name |
| Referral Source | Source of Referral |
| Treatment Settings | Treatment delivery setting |