CEO Update: Investment in low-intensity services overdue
According to Suicide Prevention Australia’s latest quarterly survey, half of all people in Australia nationally are reporting elevated cost-of-living and personal debt distress.
Financial distress often precipitates poorer mental health outcomes, exacerbating stress and anxiety to maintain a basic standard of living.
Ensuring people can get support for their mental health early, before problems snowball, is particularly important when so many of us are experiencing tough times. As outlined in Mental Health Australia’s pre-budget submission, greater investments in early intervention supports – through both digital and low-intensity services – will improve our mental health by preventing the onset of more severe mental health conditions, and reduce pressure on other services.
Mental Health Australia is calling for the government to work with the sector to increase access to high-quality low-intensity services through a national program, that provides equitable access with no cost, no waiting lists, and no requirement for a diagnosis or referral.
Last year, the Albanese government announced funding of $43.9 million to extend a range of crisis and specialised digital mental health services through to June 2025, and a $456.7 million five-year investment for Lifeline, 13YARN, Beyond Blue and Kids Helpline. This recognition of the importance of these services was very welcome, though as the Minister acknowledged, was only the “first step” in digital mental health reform.
An inconsistent approach to funding digital and low-intensity supports has contributed to a fragmented and confusing service landscape. The Productivity Commission estimated up to 50,000 people not accessing any other mental health services would benefit from low-intensity supports, and up to 2 million people accessing medication or other more costly and time-consuming supports could have their needs and preferences better met through low-intensity services.
The Evaluation of Better Access also recommended exploring low-intensity service options that could better support some people’s needs. The community and sector is still waiting for the Australian Government’s formal response to the 16 recommendations of this Evaluation.
In the Federal Budget in May, funding for a national low-intensity mental health support program would directly benefit the community, and fill a critical gap in our service system.
We are also calling on the government to work with the sector to address unnecessary barriers to taking up digital and low-intensity mental health supports, including through working with community members and health professionals to increase awareness and confidence to use and refer to these supports, and having a sustainable workforce to deliver low intensity supports, supported through national standards and accreditation.
A national, evidence-based, service delivery model for low-intensity services is a fundamental pillar of an holistic approach to mental health care, that would ensure all people in Australia can get support for their mental health as early as possible – which, when so many of us are struggling to make ends meet, is now more important than ever.
Carolyn Nikoloski
CEO, Mental Health Australia | 
