It is great when one of our very own elected representatives for this Kedron Brook valley The Hon Peter Dutton MP Federal Member for Dickson and the Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing is personally involved in working for better mental health services for Australians.
The Shadow Minister has had close consultation with some key leaders in mental health: Professor Pat McGorry – Australian of the Year David Crosbie (CEO of the Mental Health Council of Australia) Professor Ian Hickie from the Brain and Mind Institute Professor John Mendoza a world renowned expert.
The notice he is associated with reads:
1. notes that: mental illness afflicts more Australians than almost all other health disorders only ranking behind cancer and heart disease in prevalence; 45% of the nation’s population will experience a mental health disorder at some point in life; younger Australians – those between 16 and 24 – bear the brunt of mental illness with the prevalence of problems declining with age; with early and targeted treatment many young people can overcome mental illness or lower the incidence of progression or relapse; expansion of the [i]headspace[/i] and Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centres (EPPIC) models could help an estimated 200000 young Australians and in doing so free-up existing services for others with mental illnesses whilst also alleviating pressures on public hospitals and Emergency Departments; and the government has moved to cut services in mental healthcare; and
2. require the government to expand the number of [i]headspace[/i] centres to a minimum of 90 nationally; establish a national network of 20 EPPIC centres; provide an additional 800 beds for mental health associated with the EPPIC centres; appropriate funds necessary to provide these critical steps to expanding mental health treatment facilities; and immediately provide additional funds for existing [i]headspace[/i] centres; and
3. send a message to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and request that it concur.