- The $1.645 billion Better Care Together (BCT) investment is delivering results for Queenslanders, their families and local communities after its first year
- BCT has provided an additional 252 frontline workers
- Queensland’s mental health levy delivers funding to advance healthcare and address service demand
- In 2022/23, the Queensland Government committed an additional $119.8 million for people experiencing mental illness, problematic alcohol and other drug use and mental health crisis including suicidality
In its first year of implementation, the Queensland Government’s plan to improve mental health and alcohol and other drugs services is delivering results for Queenslanders and their families as funding and planning becomes a reality.
Announced as part of the 2022-2023 state budget Better Care Together: a plan for Queensland’s state-funded mental health alcohol and other drug services to 2027 is designed to improve on and deliver to Queenslanders services for which there is growing demand.
The Annual Progress Update for 2022/23, which was released today, details the advances that have been, and are being made across the state for support and treatment services, and in initiatives beyond the healthcare system.
Some of the highlights in the past year’s work include:
- Support for new parents and infants, Queensland’s first integrated perinatal mental healthcare centre, Catherine’s House opened, providing eight new public inpatient beds in South Brisbane, as well as specialised perinatal and infant mental health clinicians employed in Torres and Cape, Townsville, Darling Downs and West Moreton.
- Support for children, adolescents and young people, with two new Head to Health Kids services being established in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast to provide mental health and wellbeing support for young Queenslanders between 0-11 years along with their families. The establishment of two new child and youth acute response teams along with nine existing teams that provide rapid support to young people experiencing a mental health crisis, including suicidality in 12 regions.
- Support for adults and older persons has been boosted with additional mental health clinicians to delivery community based mental health services in 11 regions and an increase in the Lived Experience (Peer) workforce to support the delivery of high-quality, recovery-focused care.
- Responding to people’s needs for alcohol and other drug treatment and support services has been boosted by ADIS (Alcohol and Drug Information Service) receiving funding for their 24/7 drug and alcohol support lines, along with the expansion of community alcohol and other drug treatment services across 9 Hospital and Health Services and non-government organisations receiving funding to provide treatment and support services, including residential treatment.
- The expansion of eating disorder services due to increased demand on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, plus Cairns and Townsville, and five new rehabilitation beds have been added to Wandi Nerida, Australia’s only residential treatment centre for eating disorders on the Sunshine Coast, to meet demand.
- Support for mental health crisis and suicidality has received a boost with expansion to services in crisis support spaces in four locations, expansion of the Queensland Ambulance Service co-responder model to support people experiencing a mental health crisis, plus the Zero Suicide in Healthcare initiative being expanded with new frontline staff in six Hospital and Health Services.
- First Nations services have grown with additional Indigenous mental health workers employed in eight Hospital and Health Services to address the needs of local communities and support the achievement of health equity with First Nations people.
For the full list of initiatives and highlights, access the Annual Progress update here: https://www.health.qld.gov.au/better-care-together
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Health, Mental Health, and Ambulance Services Shannon Fentiman:
“It is exciting to see that we are only one year into our Better Care Together Plan and are already delivering on our commitment to improve and expand mental health services across Queensland.
“In its first year, $119.8 million has been invested to support mental health and wellbeing outcomes, including suicide prevention.
“Initiatives funded include expanded eating disorder services, increased support for mental health crisis and those at risk of suicide, as well as boosted funding for alcohol and other drug and support services.
“We’ve also funded an additional 252 frontline mental health workers in Hospital and Health Services across Queensland and opened Catherine House, Queensland’s first ever mental space dedicated to mothers, babies, and families.
“These service enhancements aren’t possible without the support of those with a lived experience, their families, and support people who have bravely shared their experiences with us and continue to do so.
“As the Minister for Mental Health, I am proud to see the work that has been achieved and look forward to updating Queenslanders next year as we invest a further $301.4 million to improve and expand services.
