Coalition Mental Health Plan

A Coalition Government will provide more resources for primary mental health care and for reducing the burden of depression in Australia.

More resources will also be available for the detection, prevention and early intervention in mental health problems in young people.

A Coalition Government will continue and expand Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care Initiative to support GPs to give more time and greater assistance to people with mental health needs.

Additional annual funding, totalling $30 million over 4 years, will be provided to address new issues and allow a greater focus on rural and remote primary mental health care.

Priority will be given to the continuation of the current Initiative to the expansion of the Access to Allied health Services component to enable more GPs to access allied health services, such as psychologists, for their patients with mental health problems.

Further funding of $30 million over three years to beyondblue to continue work in changing community attitudes, supporting early intervention and improving services for people with depression, anxiety and related disorders. It will also assist to establish a national postnatal depression programme and continue to target workplace depression.

New funding of $50 million over 4 years will be provided to address mental health, including addiction problems, in young people. The new funding will be available for a range of activities aimed at assisting GPs in the detection, early intervention and ongoing management of mental health problems in young people.

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Last Modified: Wednesday, 16-Nov-2005 17:19:27 EST