Record mental health investment prioritises WA infants, children and adolescents

  • Record $1.3 billion allocated for Western Australia’s mental health, alcohol and other drug services in 2022-23
  • The State Budget includes an additional $181 million through to 2025-26 to fund new and expanded services
  • Includes $47.3 million to support immediate ICA recommendations
  • The McGowan Labor Government will bolster mental health, alcohol and other drug services in Western Australia with a record $1.3 billion investment in this year’s State Budget.

    The 2022-23 State Budget investment represents an almost 13 per cent increase on last year’s Budget.

    As part of this new investment, the Mental Health Commission will be allocated an additional $181 million for new and expanded mental health, alcohol and other drug services.

    This increase includes $47.3 million to respond to recommendations of the Ministerial Taskforce into Public Mental Health Services for Infants, Children and Adolescents in WA (ICA), including:

    • $18.5 million to expand the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service frontline workforce across seven regions by 11.6 FTE;
    • $12.9 million for additional Peer Support Workers;
    • $10.5 million to deliver a two-year virtual support service for at-risk children; and
    • $1.3 million for mental health workforce development initiatives.

    The State Budget also provides $10.8 million to extend the Active Recovery Teams pilot, which aims to reduce unplanned hospital readmission and emergency department presentations.

    The WA Country Health Service’s Mental Health Emergency Telehealth Service will continue to be supported with an investment of $5.1 million.

    $6.1 million has been allocated to continue a range of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder prevention initiatives and $3.5 million for suicide prevention services.

    The State Government will spend an additional $16 million and provide $10.5 million of in-kind contributions to support the WA Bilateral Schedule to the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement, which is a $61.5 million joint investment into mental health and suicide prevention.

    $3.5 million will support development of a pilot alcohol-related violence prevention program at Royal Perth Hospital Emergency Department.

    As stated by Mental Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:

    “The McGowan Government reinforces its commitment to mental health, alcohol and other drug services in WA with this year’s record Budget investment.

    “Improving the mental health outcomes for children and adolescents is an important area of focus and builds on record investment from the last Budget.

    “The ICA reforms will reshape our mental health system, putting community care and early intervention front and centre.

    “It’s a priority for us to ensure people receive the mental health care they need, as demand for services across the country continues to increase.

    “This will help address mental ill-health where it starts – in the early years of someone’s life – which has the potential to positively impact their trajectory.”

    /Public Release. View in full here.