There have been 162 submissions to the inquiry, from individuals and organisations seeking change to the mental health, alcohol and other drug and suicide prevention system in Queensland, including the Commission’s submission. I have sat in many of the public hearings and been invited to give evidence in three hearings so far—and will again on 28 April.
While the Committee has the considerable task of making recommendations by 31 May, the bigger task lays ahead, in working together to implement the outcomes and create a stronger, better system in Queensland for people with lived experience, but also for those who work to support them.
The Parliament has also finalised its inquiry into the provision of primary, allied and private health care, aged care and NDIS care services and its impact on the Queensland public health system.
Queensland-National agreement signed
More than $260 million will be invested into mental health and suicide prevention services in Queensland over the next five years, following the finalisation of a bilateral agreement between the Commonwealth and Queensland governments.
The Commonwealth will provide $150.9 million, with Queensland providing $109.5 million to expand mental health services and address the gap between the Commonwealth and state systems, sometimes referred to as the missing middle.
Just as important is the commitment to greater cooperation and integration between Commonwealth and state funded services and working together on regional planning and commissioning.
The Commonwealth-state agreements seek to:
- provide clarity of roles and responsibilities between Commonwealth, states and territories regarding the mental health and suicide prevention systems
- recognise and invest in service improvements and innovative models of care that support children and young people, adults and older people, and those with complex needs
- focus and build cooperative nationally consistent approaches to service monitoring and evaluation, and
- strengthen the commitment to reduce system and service gaps.
Read the bilateral agreement media statement
Federal budget 2022-23
The second stage of the Commonwealth’s investment into mental health responds to the Productivity Commission’s landmark report and the National Suicide Prevention Adviser’s Final Report and builds on last year’s initial $2.3 billion investment over four years.
The 2022-23 Federal budget provides an additional $648.6 million in targeted support over five years, across five pillars of reform.
Areas of important investment include flood recovery, regional suicide prevention, trauma informed recovery services, support for people experiencing eating disorders, and funding to implement the National Mental Health Workforce Strategy. Budget fact sheets contain further details, as does the National Mental Health Commission’s website.
National Social Justice Stocktake
It’s interesting to note that The Salvation Army’s National Social Justice stocktake found that Australians care deeply about social injustice.
The results demonstrated Queenslanders are significantly more concerned about alcohol and drug use, family violence and homelessness that other Australians.
Queenslander’s top five concerns were: housing affordability (53.2 per cent), mental health (52 per cent), alcohol and drug use (47 per cent), family violence (40 per cent) and homelessness (35.2 per cent). Read the Social Justice Stocktake report.
