Public comment sought on mental health reforms

Organisations and other bodies representing the LGBTI community are being encouraged to submit their views on the draft Ten-Year Roadmap for National Mental Health Reform, after it was released for public consultation by the Federal Government this week.

Announcing the release, Mental Health and Ageing Minister, Mark Butler, and Community Services and Disabilities Reform Minister, Jenny Macklin, said that more needs to be done to ensure that people with mental health concerns are given proper care in a timely manner.

“We especially need to target our efforts at those who are hard-to-reach and vulnerable, and stop them from falling between the cracks and from being shunted from one service to another,” Butler said.

“We also need to work harder to break down the stigma, discrimination and misunderstanding that often surrounds mental illness.”

Under last year’s budget, the Federal Government committed a record investment of $2.2 billion over five years in an attempt to improve the country’s mental health system.

The Roadmap will aim to provide governments, the community sector, workplaces as well as the general community with a measurable, long term national reform plan for mental health, with the reforms to guide where to focus attention and funding over the next 10 years.

“We want to get this Roadmap right and we want the community to be involved in the process which is why we are making it available for public comment,” Butler added.

“The public comments will be used to help finalise the roadmap for COAG to consider in early 2012.”

Comments can be made via an online survey tool available on the mental health page of the Department of Health and Ageing website until February 1.

To take part in the public consultation, visit www.health.gov.au/mentalhealth