Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the additional funding will open up more free mental health services covered by Medicare. Photo: Anthony Albanese Instagram.
Federal Labor has announced it will inject more than a billion dollars into the mental health system if it is returned to government in the 3 May federal election.
A joint announcement from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Health Minister Mark Butler, and Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Emma McBride said the policy will see additional funding allocated for more people to seek public mental health treatment covered by Medicare.
Some $225 million in new funding will be allocated to new and upgraded Medicare Mental Health Centres, $200 million for 58 new and expanded headspace services, $500 million for 20 Youth Specialist Care Centres, and $90 million for more than 1200 additional training places for mental health professionals and peer workers.
It said a new network of 20 Youth Specialist Care Centres will close a critical service gap in the mental health system, and that it will ensure young people in what mental health experts call ‘the missing middle’, which covers complex mental health needs like personality disorders, eating disorders and early psychosis, will get the specialist help they need.
The new funding is designed to take pressure off the Better Access program, support psychologists to work to their full scope of practice and spend more time treating people with moderate and high needs, relieving pressure on subsidised services provided by private psychologists.
Mr Albanese said the investment would open up more free mental health services covered by Medicare.
“That’s what Labour will deliver right across Australia because good mental health care can change your life and everyone should be able to access it,” he said in a social media post.
“We’ll get another 31 Medicare mental health centres up and running on top of the 61 we’re already delivering. That means no big bills and no jumping through hoops, just real help when you need it. All you need is your Medicare card.”
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has applauded the announcement and has urged the Federal Coalition to match the investment promise.
It says Labor’s announcement will bring Australia closer to a mental health system where no one “falls through the cracks, and everyone can access the right care, at the right time, from a trained mental health professional”.
“We particularly welcome the $90 million investment earmarked for over 1200 new mental health workers,” RANZCP President Dr Elizabeth Moore said.
“This investment will increase the number of psychiatrists, psychologists, GPs and peer workers available to the community.
“You can’t run a mental health system without the workforce,” she added. “Clinics and hospitals are just buildings and rooms without the people at the frontlines.”
Dr Moore said the investment recognises that people have been and are being left behind due to Australia’s chronic shortage of mental health professionals.
“This announcement shows the Federal Labor Party understands the urgent need to fix the mental health workforce crisis,” she said.
“Every year, too many people miss out on the vital care they need because it’s too far away, too long a wait or simply unavailable.
“RANZCP welcomes the additional investment in Medicare Mental Health Centres, headspace services and Youth Specialist Care Centres for young people with complex needs.
“Mental illness doesn’t discriminate based on who you vote for. It should be a bipartisan issue. We strongly urge other parties to take notice and match Federal Labor’s commitment ahead of the election in May.”
