The New South Wales Mental Health Recovery Package is welcome news for the suicide prevention sector and the communities it serves.
Suicide Prevention Australia CEO Nieves Murray said, “This important funding will see many of our members expand the incredible work they do in our community every day to support people in distress.
“Congratulations to our members LivingWorks, Orygen, headspace, Butterfly Foundation and Gidget Foundation who have all received additional funding to support their work.
“The impact of COVID-19 will be ongoing. This is exactly the kind of investment we need from Governments to build capability and support prevention right across our community. It’s pleasing to see mental health as an obvious priority for the State Government as we emerge from the pandemic,” said Ms Murray.
Key highlights:
- Record $130 million announced in NSW’s economic roadmap to recovery for mental health.
- Funding builds on the $2.6 billion 2021-2022 NSW Mental Health Budget.
- The $130 million mental health recovery package includes:
- $35 million over two years to boost the surge capacity of the mental health clinical workforce. Estimated this will create an extra 60,000 psychiatry consultations and 85,000 consults with other mental health professionals.
- $20 million over 18 months to provide up to 55,000 additional services to young people through their local headspace centre. Funding will boost GP and clinical psychiatrist sessions at headspace centres and enable masters and doctorate psychology students to undertake placements at headspace centres.
- $14 million over two years to train 275,000 people across NSW in suicide prevention training.
- $21 million over four years to employ 18 FTE Aboriginal Care Navigators and 18 FTE Aboriginal Peer Workers.
- $16.5 million over four years to address the increase in eating disorder presentations. Funding will increase frontline workforce capacity and fund the Butterfly Foundation to admit NSW residents into its national eating disorders centre in QLD.
- $6 million over two years to build the capacity of caseworkers and casework managers to provide timely support to child protection practitioners at high risk of trauma.
- $5 million over two years to fund a grants program for local community wellbeing events.
- $3 million over one year to assist NSW sporting bodies to deliver mental health and wellbeing initiative.
- $3 million over one year to provide access to private beds for 12-24 year olds experiencing complex trauma and eating disorders. This will be trialled in SWSLHD.
- $2.6 million over two years to expand Gidget Foundation’s services and provide an extra 280 psychological sessions every month.
- $3.2 million over four years to establish a Multicultural Mental Health Line – a first in NSW.
