By Mike CrooksWednesday 5 Jun 2024NewsReading Time: 3 minutes
Mental health services are getting a cash injection.
Key points
- The $111.8 million package comes when cost-of-living pressure are challenging the mental health of many Australians.
- The funding boost comes in the wake of the Westfield Bondi Junction knife attack on April 13.
- “I am committed to continuing to work with experts in the field on long term interventions,” Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson said.
The NSW Government has announced a $111.8 million package to support community mental health and wellbeing.
The package comes at a time when cost-of-living pressures are challenging the mental health and wellbeing of many Australians.
“We know that people across the state are doing it tough right now, and for many in our community, mental health services are a vital lifeline when they need it most,” said Premier Chris Minns.
“Mental health is an important and ongoing conversation. And this funding is an important step in directly intervening to provide care for the people of NSW.”
Tragedy sparks action
The funding boost comes in the wake of the Westfield Bondi Junction knife attack on April 13.
The $111.8 million package comes when cost-of-living pressure are challenging the mental health of many Australians.
Joel Cauchi, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teen, killed six people in the shopping centre before he was shot dead by police inspector Amy Scott.
Referring to mental health services after the attack, Premier Minns said: “We have to answer the question as to whether that money is going in the right areas and is being spent most effectively.”
Mental health teams
The funding package includes $30 million for “Community Mental Health Teams”.
The teams work with health networks to help and support those who experience mental illness.
The funding will provide around 35 additional mental health positions, as well as improving access to psychological services, and family involvement in the care of those with mental illness.
“Common sense” program
Another $39 million will fund a Mental Health Single Front Door program, which is aimed at improving patient flow across hospitals.
The existing Single Front Door program aims to connect people with the care they need either close to home or virtually, rather than them attending hospital emergency departments.
The initiative provides virtual GP, virtualKIDS (Australia’s first paediatric-specific virtual healthcare service) and Urgent Care Services.
The funding boost comes in the wake of the Westfield Bondi Junction knife attack on April 13.
Through the funding, the Mental Health Single Front Door initiative will be expanded to allow those in need of support to call Healthdirect and receive assessment advice from specialists.
“We have seen first-hand the success of the NSW Single Front Door model,” Minister for Health Ryan Park said.
“The development of a Mental Health Single Front Door is a commonsense decision to ensure expert mental health support is available to those who need it.”
Through this support, it is estimated that there will be fewer visits to hospital emergency departments.
There were 124,467 emergency department visits made for mental health reasons last year.
Crucial transitions
Over four years, the NSW Government will also invest $40 million to the Pathways to Community Living Initiative (PCLI).
“I am committed to continuing to work with experts in the field on long term interventions,” Ms Jackson said.
The PCLI was established to “support the transition of long-stay mental health patients into appropriate community-based living and services,” a statement read.
The money will go toward funding a “complex care clinical workforce” of over 25 professionals.
Not the final step
Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson said that the government was committed to taking “meaningful action” to support the mental health of NSW people.
“This is an important step in the NSW Government’s approach to mental health support, but it is not the final one,” she said.
“I am committed to continuing to work with experts in the field on long term interventions.”
Article provided with thanks to Michael Crooks. Michael is a senior journalist and former news editor of Who magazine. His work has appeared in People, Marie Claire, The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, news.com.au, Qantas magazine, QantasLink Spirit, Who and The New Daily. When not reporting and writing he is trying to keep up with his two young kids.
Feature image: Photo by CanvaPro.