Increased mental health support and treatment options will be available to Western Australians as part of the first stage of the State Government’s plan for mental health and mental health recovering services.
An overall increase of $61.7 million over four years will be invested in mental health and programs to support the community’s response to reducing alcohol and other drug-related harms.
Initiatives funded include treatment and support services as part of a State-wide, integrated Methamphetamine Action Plan.
Read more: Putting Patients First: State Budget promises quality, sustainable health care for WA
Additional funding is being made available to support health service providers to deliver public mental health hospital and community treatment services.
Services in the community
- $7.3 million 10-bed community mental health Step Up/Step Down facility in Kalgoorlie;
- $11.2 million for a Step Up/Step Down facility in Bunbury;
- $12.3 million for a Step Up/Step Down facility in Karratha;
- $12 million over three years to ensure the continuation of 60 withdrawal and rehabilitation beds that would otherwise cease operations from mid-2018;
- $200,000 to identify the ‘gaps’ in service for alcohol and other drug treatment services in the Kimberley and undertake necessary planning;
- $200,000 to explore a service model for Mental Health Recovery Colleges;
- $18 million over three years to increase access to treatment and residential rehabilitation in the South-West, as part of the McGowan Labor Government’s Methamphetamine Action Plan; and
- $360,000 for a two-year peer-support based Ice Breakers trial in Albany.
Acute and specialised care
- An additional $12.4 million in 2017-18 for Specialised Mental Health Services, both inpatient beds and community treatment, to bring total spending to $686 million.
Prevention services
- $399,000 over three years to deliver a 3 Tier Youth Mental Health Program in the Peel region, which includes mental health awareness raising, school workshops and counselling sessions to reduce the rate of intentional self-harm and suicide; and
- $100,000 over two years for a mental health awareness program with a focus on young people through grassroots sport (NRL State of Mind program).
Targeted initiatives to assist young people, people who have attempted suicide, regional and Aboriginal communities, the construction industry, and the LGBTI community will also be provided in 2017-18.
The State Government will continue critical programs in suicide prevention, diversion programs in conjunction with the justice system, and alcohol and other drug services including helplines and specialised clinical services.
For more 2017-18 State Budget information, visit http://www.ourstatebudget.wa.gov.au
Source: Government of Western Australia.