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Speaking frankly... 
Crictical gaps starting to be addressed
Mental Health Australia has been advocating tirelessly on the issue of psychosocial support for those outside the NDIS for a number of years now.
As soon as it became clear from the NDIS agreement, and the bi-lateral arrangements, that important psychosocial support programs would be wrapped into the NDIS, we began to beat the drums of concern.
Our work in earnest started in mid-2015 with some modelling based on the National Mental Health Service Planning Framework.
Since we commissioned that work we have briefed government officials in every state and territory.
We have briefed Ministers and officials from the Commonwealth Department of Health, and from the Commonwealth Department of Social Services.
We have been interviewed for numerous media stories.
We have given countless speeches and presentations detailing our concerns.
We have used social media to inform, to educate and to advocate.
Most recently we used our Parliamentary Advocacy Day to raise the issue with the Prime Minister, Minister Hunt, the Opposition Leader, the Shadow Minister for Ageing and Mental Health and more than 40 other MPs and Senators.
Tonight we finally got to welcome some concrete action.
In the Treasurer’s Budget speech, he announced $80 million to address the growing gap in psychosocial support as the NDIS rolls out.
As Minister Hunt detailed in his video briefing to Mental Health Australia members, he intends to use this money to attract co-investment from the states and territories – turning that $80 million investment from the Commonwealth into a $160 million investment in front-line, community based services.
That means we will turn our eyes to state and territory governments, encouraging them to bring their own resources to the table to address the already existing gap. We will need more than $160 million over four years to actually close the gap, but this investment marks the beginning of that process. Importantly, this is new investment, rather than investment drawn from savings in other mental health measures.
Speaking of the gap in psychosocial supports at our Advocacy Day just weeks ago, Minister Hunt said “this is my problem and I am going to fix it”.
Tonight’s Budget confirms Minister Hunt acknowledges and is prepared to act on his commitment that day. It recognises a lasting solution will only be found if state and territory governments come to the party. With spending to commence in the 2017/2018 financial year, it recognises that this problem is upon us now.
Mental Health Australia also welcomed other measures in the Budget. These include:
- Mental health treatment for current and former members of the Australian Defence Force – expanded access - $33.5 million
- Improving telehealth for psychosocial services in regional areas - $9.1 million
- Suicide prevention and support programs in hotspots (locations where suicide repeatedly occurs) and funding for small infrastructure projects - $11.1 million
- Support for mental health research - $15 million
Will tonight’s budget fix mental health? No.
The National Mental Health Commission’s review described the many problems that face our fragmented and disconnected set of arrangements that too often fail the people they are supposed to help
Does tonight’s budget take us in the right direction? Yes.
Tomorrow we will continue to advocate for all those elements of the National Mental Health Commission’s 2014 Review and our own Blueprint for Mental Health that still require implementation.
But we can do so knowing our Minister is committed to mental health reform and ready to hear feedback on whether investments are working as intended from those in best placed to know.
Frank Quinlan
Chief Executive Officer
Media Release: Federal Budget invites states to close critical gaps in mental health
The 2017-18 Federal Budget has been welcomed by Mental Health Australia, as it starts to address one of mental health’s most critical issues – gaps in psychosocial support services.
Tonight, Treasurer Scott Morrison’s Budget speech identified $173 million to be invested in Australia’s mental health, including “$80 million to assist people with severe mental illness resulting in psychosocial disability who are not eligible for the NDIS.”
2017 Budget summary
This document details some of the key measures in the 2017-18 Federal Budget that are likely to be of interest to mental health stakeholders.
Video: Minster for Health provides mental health Budget breif for sector
Minister for Health The Hon Greg Hunt MP was pleased to provide a short video brief on the key budget measures addressed in the 2017 Federal Budget. Watch the video here.
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