Australians for Mental Health welcomes Labor's major funding pledge for mental health
The Australian Labor Party has announced a significant $1 billion funding commitment to address the growing mental health crisis across the nation, with half the proposed funds directed toward specialist care centers for young Australians. Mental health advocacy group Australians for Mental Health has welcomed the announcement as a crucial step toward improving accessibility and affordability of mental health services.
"This is a great announcement from the Labor Party. It shows it's serious about mental health, and making accessing support affordable for all Australians, especially young people who are disproportionately affected by mental ill-health," said Chris Gambian, Chief Executive of Australians for Mental Health.
The comprehensive funding package would support Medicare mental health centers, additional headspace facilities, and increased training positions for mental health professionals and peer support workers. The announcement comes amid growing concerns about mental health service accessibility and rising rates of psychological distress, particularly among young Australians.
"We are experiencing a mental health crisis in Australia. This funding is a wonderful start but we also need to listen to young people about what they need to be supported. We know solutions will vary from region to region because they face different challenges," Gambian noted.
While praising the funding commitment, Australians for Mental Health emphasized that financial investment alone cannot transform the nation's mental health outcomes.
The organization has called for a whole-of-government approach to mental wellbeing through legislative action. "We need to ensure a whole-of-government approach to mental health, and we need departments to be held accountable for decisions that affect our mental wellbeing. Legislating a Wellbeing Act would help achieve that," Gambian stated.
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