Up to 10,000 mentally ill Victorians could be cut off from vital health services because they do not meet tough eligibility guidelines for the national disability insurance scheme, an alliance has warned.
A group of 20 mental health organisations are urging the state government and opposition to commit $80 million over the next four years to continue the state’s community-based mental health services.
The group, who will unveil their state election platform at a forum on Wednesday, have raised concerns about most of Victoria’s community-based mental health services being rolled into the NDIS.
They estimate that up to 10,000 Victorians who use government-funded community mental health services will not be able to access the NDIS because they cannot demonstrate they have a “significant and enduring psychosocial disability”.