❓ Question on mental health investment in WA, specifically suicide prevention and hospital demand management. The Minister outlines record investment, new initiatives, and strategies to rebalance the mental health system.
AnsweredQoN 779Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE
PREVENTION
779. Mr C.J. TALLENTIRE to the Minister for Mental Health:
I
refer to the hard work of the McGowan Labor government in keeping WA safe and
strong, which includes delivering a record investment in mental health
and alcohol and other drug services.
(1) Can the minister outline to the house what this
record investment will mean for suicide prevention programs and services
across WA?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this record investment will help our hospitals
manage the demand for mental health services in our community?
PREVENTION
779. Mr C.J. TALLENTIRE to the Minister for Mental Health:
I
refer to the hard work of the McGowan Labor government in keeping WA safe and
strong, which includes delivering a record investment in mental health
and alcohol and other drug services.
(1) Can the minister outline to the house what this
record investment will mean for suicide prevention programs and services
across WA?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this record investment will help our hospitals
manage the demand for mental health services in our community?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his question.
(1)–(2) During
Mental Health Week 2020, it is a very good opportunity to remind ourselves just
how important mental health is and how important it is that we have good
investment in mental health services, which is the reason I am very pleased to
announce that for the first time in WA's history, the WA government
will invest more than $1 billion in mental health services in a year—an
increase of 17 per cent in funding since we came to office.
The member is right; suicide has a dreadful
impact on our society. On average in WA, around one person each day loses their life to suicide. Each death is
a tragic event that has heartbreaking consequences for families and the community. It affects the whole
community and a whole-of-community approach is required to prevent it.
We understand that there is no easy fix, but we also know that we have to do
more when it comes to funding, which is the reason that this year we have
announced and committed more than $49.6 million for suicide prevention
initiatives. This includes services across prevention and early intervention, such as public education and
training; support and after care for people experiencing a suicide
crisis or following a suicide attempt; and postvention to build community
capacity. One of the things that I am particularly proud of is the $10 million
investment to develop and implement a region-by-region approach to Aboriginal
suicide prevention in Western Australia. It is the first time it has been
undertaken and it will mean that we have a tailor-made suicide prevention
program for each community, which they will co-design.
As I said, the budget for 2020 is a great
opportunity to celebrate a $1 billion investment in mental health services,
which provides us with an opportunity to rebalance the system. What we can do
in this context is invest heavily in prevention, with $17.3 million in 2020–21,
and provide a major boost of $30.9 million in community bed–based
services, a $54.2 million investment in community support, $427 million for
community treatment and $426.5 million for hospital-based services. As part of
rebalancing the system, we have to address the fact that so many people with
very complex and difficult mental health issues are coming into our emergency
departments, and our EDs are struggling under that demand. That is the reason
we are looking beyond simply the amount of services we need and at how we can
do things differently.
I would like to speak about two
programs in particular. The assertive recovery team is a $14 million pilot program that aims to support people with
significant mental health issues who have exited or are at risk of re-entering EDs. It will integrate hospital and community services and provide
relief for ED services by keeping very
unwell people from needing to continually re-present in crisis. The ART also
aims to improve consumers' mental health and confidence in their
ability to prevent avoidable admissions. This will mean that we have our
community mental health services working in tandem with our hospital services
to ensure that we can reach out to those people in the community who need our
support.
Another program I am particularly
proud of is our peer support program at Fiona Stanley Hospital. This is a pilot
that will utilise the services of those with lived experience to sit by, care
for and assist those with mental health
issues who are in the ED to make sure that they can navigate their way through
the s ystem in a much more secure and cohesive way. EDs are distressing
places. We hope that having a peer support worker there will make a huge
difference to their experience in the emergency department.
At the moment, there are 806 active
mental health beds in Western Australia's hospitals. Over the last four
years, the total number of specialised mental health beds has increased by 58.
But we need to continue to work to make sure that we have all the services we
need in the community and that we are investing in prevention and support. I am
proud of a government that has invested record amounts in mental health
services so that we can continue to go forward and make these very important
policy developments.
(1)–(2) During
Mental Health Week 2020, it is a very good opportunity to remind ourselves just
how important mental health is and how important it is that we have good
investment in mental health services, which is the reason I am very pleased to
announce that for the first time in WA's history, the WA government
will invest more than $1 billion in mental health services in a year—an
increase of 17 per cent in funding since we came to office.
The member is right; suicide has a dreadful
impact on our society. On average in WA, around one person each day loses their life to suicide. Each death is
a tragic event that has heartbreaking consequences for families and the community. It affects the whole
community and a whole-of-community approach is required to prevent it.
We understand that there is no easy fix, but we also know that we have to do
more when it comes to funding, which is the reason that this year we have
announced and committed more than $49.6 million for suicide prevention
initiatives. This includes services across prevention and early intervention, such as public education and
training; support and after care for people experiencing a suicide
crisis or following a suicide attempt; and postvention to build community
capacity. One of the things that I am particularly proud of is the $10 million
investment to develop and implement a region-by-region approach to Aboriginal
suicide prevention in Western Australia. It is the first time it has been
undertaken and it will mean that we have a tailor-made suicide prevention
program for each community, which they will co-design.
As I said, the budget for 2020 is a great
opportunity to celebrate a $1 billion investment in mental health services,
which provides us with an opportunity to rebalance the system. What we can do
in this context is invest heavily in prevention, with $17.3 million in 2020–21,
and provide a major boost of $30.9 million in community bed–based
services, a $54.2 million investment in community support, $427 million for
community treatment and $426.5 million for hospital-based services. As part of
rebalancing the system, we have to address the fact that so many people with
very complex and difficult mental health issues are coming into our emergency
departments, and our EDs are struggling under that demand. That is the reason
we are looking beyond simply the amount of services we need and at how we can
do things differently.
I would like to speak about two
programs in particular. The assertive recovery team is a $14 million pilot program that aims to support people with
significant mental health issues who have exited or are at risk of re-entering EDs. It will integrate hospital and community services and provide
relief for ED services by keeping very
unwell people from needing to continually re-present in crisis. The ART also
aims to improve consumers' mental health and confidence in their
ability to prevent avoidable admissions. This will mean that we have our
community mental health services working in tandem with our hospital services
to ensure that we can reach out to those people in the community who need our
support.
Another program I am particularly
proud of is our peer support program at Fiona Stanley Hospital. This is a pilot
that will utilise the services of those with lived experience to sit by, care
for and assist those with mental health
issues who are in the ED to make sure that they can navigate their way through
the s ystem in a much more secure and cohesive way. EDs are distressing
places. We hope that having a peer support worker there will make a huge
difference to their experience in the emergency department.
At the moment, there are 806 active
mental health beds in Western Australia's hospitals. Over the last four
years, the total number of specialised mental health beds has increased by 58.
But we need to continue to work to make sure that we have all the services we
need in the community and that we are investing in prevention and support. I am
proud of a government that has invested record amounts in mental health
services so that we can continue to go forward and make these very important
policy developments.
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