Labor's Mental Health Plan

A Federal Labor Government will spend $100 million over the next four years to boost mental health services.

Labor's Mental Health Plan focuses on four major priorities:

• Making mental health a government priority, not hiding it away

• Early intervention, especially for young people and new mothers with post-natal depression, to help people manage their mental health problems and be active members of their family and their community

• Community, school and workplace awareness and education, to take away stigma, help with access to training and work, and assist with early diagnosis

• Boosting the skills and resources of GPs, who are often the first health professionals consulted by people with mental health problems.

Making Mental Health a Government Priority
A Federal Labor Government will provide $5.25 million over the next 4 years to establish a Prime Minister's Council on Mental Health. This will ensure that mental health has the recognition it needs and deserves. The Council will advise Government on the range of issues that affect the mental health of the nation and people with mental illness and their families and carers.

Early Intervention
A Federal Labor Government will spend $49.25 million over the next 4 years on early intervention programmes to help new mothers with post-natal depression and young people at risk and their families.

Early intervention for mental illness, particularly those that lead to chronic disability or alcohol or substance abuse, is a high priority. The focus on young people and families will maximise the benefits of early intervention programmes.

Community Awareness and Education
A Federal Labor Government will spend $9.7 million over the next 4 years on public awareness programmes to educate people about the issues faced by people with mental health, and to help maintain a system where instances of human rights abuse and neglect can be reported.

Better Assistance to Primary Care Providers to Deliver Mental Health Services
Labor will invest an additional $36 million over the next 4 years to help GP's who are on the frontline of patient care, address the mental health needs of their patients.

Currently there are several programmes that provide GPs with resources to help them better address the needs of their pateints' mental health issues.

In Government, Labor will review these programmes with the aim of providing a single system through which GPs can access the full range of needed mental health resources with a reduction in the current high levels of red tape and administration. This review will also consider the need for additional professionals to address mental health needs across Australia, and in particular, the costs and benefits of allowing psychologists to have direct access to Medicare.

In a Federal Labor Governemnt, the Minister for Health will personally take responsibility for dealing with mental health as an area of policy and ensuring that mental health needs are on the health reform agenda.

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© 2003 Health Services Union (HSU)
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Last Modified: Wednesday, 16-Nov-2005 17:19:27 EST