MEMBER for Barker Tony Pasin has welcomed a record $1.45b Federal Government investment for community mental health services.
Mr Pasin said the Federal Government’s commitment will be provided through the nation’s 31 Primary Health Networks (PHN), with Country SA PHN receiving more than $54m over a three year period.
The funds will help tailor services to meet Barker’s specific needs and deliver a stronger mental health system.
“Ensuring funding for services that offer the best support, tailored to local community needs is vital, nowhere more so than in regional communities,” Mr Pasin said.
“It’s so important that strategies and programs in our regional towns are designed and delivered for locals by locals to give the best benefits to community.
“This additional funding, delivered through the local PHN is very much welcome.”
Nearly half of the Australian population will experience mental illness at some point in their lives, but less than half will access treatment.
The record three year commitment will begin from July this year until 2021-22.
The additional funding is $170m more than what was provided for the previous three years.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said the funding would continue to support services such as headspace centres, psychological services for hard to reach groups, suicide prevention activities, mental health nurses and mental health support for older Australians.
Mr Hunt said the government will also change the way that PHNs are funded to ensure the staff and mental health professionals who deliver these critical services will no longer face uncertainty on short term contracts.
“This will allow longer term planning, provide job certainty for thousands of people employed in the sector and deliver a stronger mental health system,” he said.
“The new funding process will dramatically improve their ability to ensure that services can be commissioned well in advance at any point in time and provide greater funding certainty for the community-based mental health sector.”
“This will particularly benefit those living in rural and remote areas, where staffing shortages due to employment uncertainty have historically reduced access to mental health services.”
It is estimated the $1.45b funding will include $177m for mental health nurses and $617m for youth mental health, including headspace.
