Both the New South Wales and South Australian Budgets were handed down earlier this week and while there were no direct mentions about suicide prevention, there were some productive announcements around mental health and social determinants.
Suicide Prevention Australia CEO, Nieves Murray said, “It’s clear both states are working towards improving accessibility to safe, high-quality care and directing efforts to social determinants. This is an important step for suicide prevention.”
Key highlights:
New South Wales
- Mental health
- $109.5 million over the next four years to develop 25 Youth Mental Health Crisis Teams across the state.
- $36.4 million over four years to establish 57 mental health Response and Recovery Specialists in regional and rural communities.
- Social determinants
- Childhood trauma: $756.5 million investment towards the child protection system to assess reports of abuse and neglect and reduce the number of children entering care.
- Housing: $730.5 million in funding to support low-income affordable housing including $52.4 million for the Aboriginal Community Housing Fund.
- Domestic and family violence: $94 million to support victims and their children and preventing homelessness.
- Data from the NSW Suicide Monitoring System has indicated the number of suicides in 2020 in New South Wales has decreased by almost five per cent compared to 2019.
South Australia
- Mental health
- $163.5 million will be provided over the forward estimates to strengthen the state’s mental health system by supporting the implementation of the state’s Mental Health Services Plan, including:
- $20.4 million over three years to build a new 16-bed crisis stabilisation facility in the northern suburbs to support the mental health needs of the community.
- $8.4 million per annum to increase the capacity of community mental health services to provide help for people who have acute mental health challenges in the community.
- $12 million in 2021-22 to support the fit-out required to create additional psychiatric intensive care bed capacity in the South Australian public hospital system.
- $4.5 million per annum is provided to expand the delivery of urgent mental health care to the community, through expanding the Adelaide Adult Mental Health Centre’s service to 24 hours a day.
- $5 million over two years to support the immediate needs of the mental health workforce in our public mental health services by increasing training and oversight capacity.
- $163.5 million will be provided over the forward estimates to strengthen the state’s mental health system by supporting the implementation of the state’s Mental Health Services Plan, including:
- Social determinants
- Domestic and family violence: $6.3 million for a range of domestic violence initiatives to assist women to remain in the workforce and maintain economic security.
- Housing: $5 million in 2021-22 to support the building of additional accommodation to provide options for people living with mental health disability to live independently whilst accessing appropriate supports.
To get help 24/7, phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, phone 000 for emergency services.
Media contacts
Clare Kinsella 0427 689 689
clarek@suicidepreventionaust.org
Amelia Banks 0410 591 134
ameliab@suicidepreventionaust.org
