headspace, the national Youth Mental Health Foundation, has welcomed the Federal Government’s $375 million investment to address the mental health needs of young Australians.
CEO of headspace, Jason Trethowan, said this funding will grow and strengthen the headspace platform to reduce wait times for young people and improve service integration.
“With young people seeking help at an unprecedented rate and rising levels of complexity and acuity, it is increasingly evident that headspace is experiencing major challenges in meeting the growing demand for services,” Mr Trethowan said.
The Government announced new investments including:
- $111.3m to increase the number of headspace sites to 115 to 145 across Australia by 2021. There will be 10 new headspace centres and 20 new satellite services including satellites in Sarina and the Whitsunday; and
- $152m to help headspace centres experiencing high levels of demand to improve their services and reduce wait times so that young people can get more rapid support in times of need.
The new investments will cost $263.3m from 2018-19 to 2024-2025.
In addition, and as previously announced, the Government will also invest in:
- $2m for a Young Ambassadors Program; and
- $110m to support the continuation of the headspace Youth Early Psychosis Program at 14 headspace centres to support young people at the early stages of severe mental illness.
“The funding in this year’s Federal Budget will help headspace centres to meet the growing demands of young people through increased clinical workforce capacity, infrastructure improvements in existing headspace centres, and enhanced online supports to young people,” Mr Trethowan said.
“We know that increased investment in early intervention is key to supporting young people’s mental health. We thank the Federal Government for its continued commitment to youth mental health and look forward to working with Primary Health Networks to see this investment translate on the ground for young people,” Mr Trethowan.
