❓ A parliamentary question regarding the WA government's new mental health patient discharge policy, its statewide implementation, and associated funding. The Minister provides a detailed response outlining various initiatives and commitments.
AnsweredQoN 871Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS — DISCHARGE POLICY
I refer to the minister’s recent comments during estimates hearings in which she said, in relation to the discharge of mental health patients, that the discharge issue was a huge issue that needed to be improved and that the government has made a significant commitment to make changes to that in this coming financial year. (1) Is a new policy being drafted for discharge planning in mental health; and, if so, when will it be released? (2) Will the new policy be implemented statewide; and, if not, why not? (3) Can the minister advise how much additional funding has been provided in the 2011–12 budget for the implementation of a new discharge policy; and, if not, why not? Hon HELEN MORTON
I refer to the minister’s recent comments during estimates hearings in which she said, in relation to the discharge of mental health patients, that the discharge issue was a huge issue that needed to be improved and that the government has made a significant commitment to make changes to that in this coming financial year. (1) Is a new policy being drafted for discharge planning in mental health; and, if so, when will it be released? (2) Will the new policy be implemented statewide; and, if not, why not? (3) Can the minister advise how much additional funding has been provided in the 2011–12 budget for the implementation of a new discharge policy; and, if not, why not? Hon HELEN MORTON
AnswerView source ↗
I believe that I heard the honourable member say that it was a question on notice. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : I am sorry; it was without notice. Hon HELEN MORTON : I do not seem to have that question. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
(1) Is a new policy being drafted for discharge planning in mental health; and, if so, when will it be released? (2) Will the new policy be implemented statewide; and, if not, why not? (3) Can the minister advise how much additional funding has been provided in the 2011–12 budget for the implementation of a new discharge policy; and, if not, why not? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I believe that I heard the honourable member say that it was a question on notice. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : I am sorry; it was without notice. Hon HELEN MORTON : I do not seem to have that question. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
(2) Will the new policy be implemented statewide; and, if not, why not? (3) Can the minister advise how much additional funding has been provided in the 2011–12 budget for the implementation of a new discharge policy; and, if not, why not? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I believe that I heard the honourable member say that it was a question on notice. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : I am sorry; it was without notice. Hon HELEN MORTON : I do not seem to have that question. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
(3) Can the minister advise how much additional funding has been provided in the 2011–12 budget for the implementation of a new discharge policy; and, if not, why not? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I believe that I heard the honourable member say that it was a question on notice. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : I am sorry; it was without notice. Hon HELEN MORTON : I do not seem to have that question. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I believe that I heard the honourable member say that it was a question on notice. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : I am sorry; it was without notice. Hon HELEN MORTON : I do not seem to have that question. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
I believe that I heard the honourable member say that it was a question on notice. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : I am sorry; it was without notice. Hon HELEN MORTON : I do not seem to have that question. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : I am sorry; it was without notice. Hon HELEN MORTON : I do not seem to have that question. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
Hon HELEN MORTON : I do not seem to have that question. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
(1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
(2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
(3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
(1) Is a new policy being drafted for discharge planning in mental health; and, if so, when will it be released? (2) Will the new policy be implemented statewide; and, if not, why not? (3) Can the minister advise how much additional funding has been provided in the 2011–12 budget for the implementation of a new discharge policy; and, if not, why not? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I believe that I heard the honourable member say that it was a question on notice. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : I am sorry; it was without notice. Hon HELEN MORTON : I do not seem to have that question. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
(2) Will the new policy be implemented statewide; and, if not, why not? (3) Can the minister advise how much additional funding has been provided in the 2011–12 budget for the implementation of a new discharge policy; and, if not, why not? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I believe that I heard the honourable member say that it was a question on notice. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : I am sorry; it was without notice. Hon HELEN MORTON : I do not seem to have that question. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
(3) Can the minister advise how much additional funding has been provided in the 2011–12 budget for the implementation of a new discharge policy; and, if not, why not? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I believe that I heard the honourable member say that it was a question on notice. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : I am sorry; it was without notice. Hon HELEN MORTON : I do not seem to have that question. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I believe that I heard the honourable member say that it was a question on notice. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : I am sorry; it was without notice. Hon HELEN MORTON : I do not seem to have that question. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
I believe that I heard the honourable member say that it was a question on notice. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : I am sorry; it was without notice. Hon HELEN MORTON : I do not seem to have that question. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : I am sorry; it was without notice. Hon HELEN MORTON : I do not seem to have that question. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
Hon HELEN MORTON : I do not seem to have that question. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You can have a look at the question. Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
Hon HELEN MORTON : Obviously, when the member asked the question “with notice”, I did not write anything down. (1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
(1) The best way for me to answer this at the moment is to say something similar to what I mentioned to the member the other day. Discharge planning has been a big issue for a very long time. It has accumulated over years for lots of different reasons. The policy work around discharge planning has been developing not just now or recently but it is part of the reason we have the step up, step down facilities that were funded in the budget. As I indicated before, people accessing acute hospitals or being discharged from acute hospitals too quickly for them to be provided with the range of services in the community can be moved to a step-down facility that has that extended range of brokerage and discharge planning around things such as housing, employment, training and education, community support and the sort of supports — Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : Is it going to apply to all hospitals and have you got money to implement it? They are really the questions. Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
Hon HELEN MORTON : The other areas that I was talking about related to the brokerage, and I have spoken about that as well. The issue of people being able to navigate and access the range of services that they need and being able to provide those services in the community when a person is discharged from hospital is another aspect of the policy that is being developed. The significant increase in community services includes a range of services for discharging people from a hospital who need to have the range of support services in the community that are satisfactory and suitable for their needs. Quite frankly, the range of services in the community is not adequate for that process at the moment. Consequently, a significant investment is being made by the Mental Health Commission to develop improved community services. The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
The other area I mentioned that has already been funded in this budget is the range of housing that is being developed or purchased and constructed and the housing support packages that are quite specific to people being discharged from hospital. The member asked whether these things are just across the board or whatever. These houses are both in nonmetropolitan areas and across the metropolitan area. We have allocated funding for 100 people to be provided with housing as a form of discharging people in long-term stay—people who have been languishing in mental health facilities who do not need to be there. They can be living in the community. A total of $25 million will go towards providing the level of support services, including transition and training, that they need to get into those houses. There is a significant commitment to improving discharge planning through both the legislation and through changes to the way the Mental Health Review Board operates. Discharge planning is a significant component of the reforms to mental health services at the moment. It is not something that has been dreamt up as we go. It is a long-term commitment and a very considered approach to improving the way that people can be transitioned from very acute-level inpatient services into both intermediate care and community-based services. (2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
(2) With regard to whether the new policy will be implemented statewide, of course it will be. (3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
(3) With regard to whether I can advise how much additional funding has been provided, I cannot off the top of my head, because all those elements that I have indicated make up part and parcel of a better approach to discharge planning than has been the case to date. So the member might like to put that question on notice, because it might take a number of weeks to find out and add up all the elements of funding that might have an impact on the discharge policy for mental health services.
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