The Federal Government has announced a major overhaul of mental health services it says will abandon the current “one-size-fits-all” approach.
“We are setting out a blueprint for reform that puts the individual at the centre of our mental health system.,” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said.
The changes will see:
- Care packages created for people with complex needs
- A new digital gateway to online mental health services
- A new telephone hotline to direct people to appropriate services
The Government will establish a single mental health hotline to direct people to appropriate services, after the review found more than 30 Government-supported phone and online mental health services.
As revealed by the ABC, the Government will provide more funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities as part of its overhaul of the mental health sector.
$85 million will go towards Indigenous mental health over three years.
The changes will not see extra overall funding — with the Federal Government currently spending about $10 billion on mental health each year.
The changes will be rolled out over three years from 2016.
Mental health sector welcomes Government’s response to review
The mental health sector is particularly pleased the Government has listened to calls for a “stepped care” approach to mental health services, giving each patient individualised support and ensuring people receive adequate levels of care.
“Reform starts today,” Mental Health Australia chief executive Frank Quinlan said.
“It will take considerable effort to achieve successful mental health reform, the time for review has now finished and implementation can begin.”
Black Dog Institute director Helen Christensen said the Government had acknowledged mental health programs need to be fully integrated into day-to-day life.
“A key component of the stepped care mental health released by Government today is to provide mild to moderate care through a digital portal — offering e-therapies, help lines and self-help programs,” she said.
But Professor Christensen said the sector was disappointed that the Government had not taken a stronger approach to suicide prevention.
“Every day, around seven Australians take their own lives. With this serious health issue, considerable evidence-based programs are available to be rolled out immediately,” she said.
“We hope that the integration of suicide prevention programs into localised initiatives that simultaneously involve schools, health care providers, hospitals and emergency services will provide some benefit in this area.”
The Government’s response comes more than a year after it received a scathing review of the sector from the National Mental Health Commission.