Beyond Blue welcomes NSW investment in mental health

Beyond Blue has welcomed the NSW government’s record investment in mental health and suicide prevention.

In its State Budget today, NSW announced it would spend $10.9 billion over four years on vital mental health and suicide prevention services, including more hospital and community-based support for people living with mental illness, their carers and their families.

The funding will:

  • Extend the successful PACER program, which embeds mental health clinicians with first responders who attend to people in distress.
  • Provide assertive outreach in communities affected by disasters, including peer workers for farmers and people in drought-affected areas.
  • Expand supports for families with very young children in city and regional areas.
  • Create Child and Adolescent Mental Health Response teams for children and young people with moderate to severe mental health issues.

“This package addresses genuine needs at a time when people across the nation are feeling the effects of the pandemic, drought, floods and other disasters,” Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman said.

“This is a significant level of funding that demonstrates a clear commitment from NSW to create a mental health and suicide prevention system that works – one that responds to the community’s needs,” Ms Harman said.

“These are important reforms and we commend the NSW for its vision.”

NSW has also renewed Beyond Blue’s core funding, contributing $3.6 million over three years from June 2021.

“We are grateful to the NSW government for its commitment to the work we do for the community, and look forward to collaborating with NSW, the Commonwealth and other states and territories on the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement in coming months,” Ms Harman said.

“The Agreement will set out the national funding structures that will lay the foundation for the creation of a new national mental health and suicide prevention system, so it’s vital we all roll up our sleeves and get on with the job of coming up with a whole-of-government system that’s funded for outcomes and the long term and puts lived experience at its heart.”

/Public Release. View in full here.