Big issues require big commitments, and even bigger dollars - Mental Health Australia welcomes the 2021 Federal Budget
Mental Health Australia has tonight welcomed the 2021 Federal Budget, at a time when the mental health of our nation has never seen such need, nor experienced such a willingness to address the issues and challenges at hand.
Over the last decade or more, our mental health ecosystem has advocated tirelessly for systemic reform, for change and ultimately for the right to be heard.
At the heart of such advocacy has been those with lived experience of mental ill health, and their families and carers. These courageous, persistent and persuasive voices have become critical to ensuring all governments not only listen, but act to improve our mental health system.
Tonight, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s Budget speech identified a record $2.3 billion will be invested in Australia’s mental health over the next four years.
There is no doubt this is real action.
The numbers are big, and the commitments are certainly welcomed, but we also know that to tackle and deliver true national mental health reform will mean big commitments on many fronts, not just in health, and not just at a federal level.
There are also of course gaps, and there are of course more questions to ask and we will do so over the next days and weeks.
At Mental Health Australia, where our focus is always on national systemic reform across the entire lifespan and across the care continuum from prevention to acute clinical treatment, we see these Budget announcements as the start of what must become a national wave of true mental health reform.
After decades of under-investment across the entire ecosystem, new mental health funding can sometimes be like rain after a long drought – it is welcomed but gets absorbed into the dry earth so quickly that it seems to disappear. It’s only when there is consistent rain that a drought truly breaks.
Kind regards.
Leanne Beagley
CEO
Embrace Project welcomes funding for multicultural mental health
Mental Health Australia and Alliance partners the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA), and the National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA) are pleased to welcome the extension of funding announced in tonight’s Federal Budget for mental health in culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.
Members Only Video Q&As next Tuesday and Thursday
With David Coleman, Mark Butler and Emma McBride next week
As part of our complete Federal Budget analysis for 2021, Mental Health Australia is pleased to invite Members to hear from both the Government and the opposition via video webinars and Q&A sessions on Zoom next week.
The Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, the Hon David Coleman MP will present and take your questions on Thursday 20 May from midday.
While Shadow Minister for Health, the Hon Mark Butler MP and Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health, Emma McBride MP will also hold a video presentation and Q&A on Tuesday 18 May at 4.00pm.
Following these great opportunities for members to hear from the MPs involved, we then look forward to bringing you our own detailed analysis of the 2021 Federal Budget mental health announcements, as well as developing further advocacy and discussion opportunities over the coming weeks.
To find out more or to register for these events see the details below or email our Director of External Relations Lachlan.Searle@mhaustralia.org
Tuesday 18 May at 4:00pm - Video Webinar Q&A via Zoom
Shadow Minister for Health, the Hon Mark Butler MP and
Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health, Emma McBride MP
Click here to register for this specific event
Thursday 20 May at 12:00pm - Video Webinar Q&A via Zoom
Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention,
the Hon David Coleman MP
Click here to register for this specific event
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Mental Health Australia 2021 Federal Budget Summary
The Australian Government has provided a welcome $2.3 billion down payment on its response to the recommendations made by the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry in Mental Health and the Advice to the National Suicide Prevention Adviser’s Final Report.
It is very positive that the Government acknowledges that this is only the first instalment of their response to the PC Report. It has now publicly supported in full, in part or in principle all of the 21 recommendations of the PC Report and the eight recommendations of the NSPA Final Advice.
Investments in prevention and early intervention, child, youth and adult treatment services, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide prevention, broader suicide prevention initiatives and the mental health workforce will make a real difference for people seeking support for their mental ill health.
This includes $1.4 billion in person-centred treatment, and specifically the development of a national network of community based service hubs including up to 57 additional mental health treatment centres and satellites for adults, youth and children, through the Head to Health and headspace programs.
Research funding has been provided for the Mental Health Australia General Clinical Trial Network (MAGNET) that Mental Health Australia is a partner to, which will enhance treatment access and improve the health of communities across Australia. This and new research funding for eating disorders is also welcomed as these programs will help generate new therapies with lived experience leadership.
The funding for psychosocial services for two years provides funding security for now but is well below recommendations made by the Productivity Commission. The expectation is that additional funding will result from the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement negotiations between the national, state and territory governments.
The Productivity Commission recommendation that independent consumer and carer peaks be established has been progressed with the investment of 0.3m to scope and work with the sector to “investigate and codesign future national peak body arrangements to provide consumers and carers with a greater say in the future of the mental health system” with further funding to support the training for 390 new peer workers.
While the details for the implementation of all these new investments is to be outlined it is clear that the Primary Health Networks will play a major role. It is imperative that they engage consumers and carers early in the design and delivery of these new services and that there is broader sector engagement to ensure service integration and to inform appropriate accountability and evaluation processes.
We warmly welcome the important aged care reform package which tonight sets a new tone for the way we respond to the health and care needs of older Australians and we look forward to working with provider members in and connected to our sector to ensure that mental health care responses are front and centre both in aged residential care and in community based care.
2021 Federal Budget: Mental health highlights from Treasurer the Hon Josh Frydenberg MP's speech to parliament tonight
Treasurer the Hon Josh Frydenberg MP mentioned the importance of mental health and suicide prevention in his Budget speech tonight. Watch the highlights video here.
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Past Federal Budgets -
Mental Health Announcements
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