- The Miles Government’s more than $1.9 billion Better Care Together plan continues to deliver positive mental health outcomes for Queenslanders.
- Funded by the mental health levy, initiatives continue to improve mental health, alcohol and other drug services, as well as suicide prevention outcomes.
- Since it began in 2022, Better Care Together has funded an additional 628 frontline workers and supported the establishment of 45 new beds across the state.
The Miles Government’s landmark Better Care Together plan has achieved significant progress in its second year, including the delivery of 628 additional frontline workers and 45 new beds across the state.
Since its establishment in 2022, the mental health levy has boosted funding for initiatives by an additional $303 million, bringing the total allocation to $1.948 billion over five years.
This is supporting the expansion of several services, including new mother and baby beds for perinatal mental health care, a new Crisis Stabilisation Unit at The Prince Charles Hospital, and a dedicated Adolescent Mental Health Unit in Cairns.
In 2023-24, an additional $227.8 million was invested across priority areas, including $48.6 million for adults and older people, $32.8 million for children, adolescents, and young people, and $14.2 million for new parents and infants.
Some of the key achievements in the past year include:
- Expansion of perinatal services: Peach Tree Perinatal Wellness’s peer-led services for new parents and infants have been expanded, along with additional perinatal and infant mental health clinicians in seven Hospital and Health Services.
- New services and beds: Eight new beds have been established in Hervey Bay’s mental health acute inpatient unit, which now has 22 beds.
Two new eating disorder specialist services have been established in Metro South and Darling Downs/West Moreton regions, along with expansions to the mental health community support program and other existing psychosocial support programs.
- First Nations support: A new mental health integrated service has been established to provide high quality specialist mental health, alcohol and other drugs treatment and care for First Nations children, adolescents and young people and their families.
- Lived Experience workforce: Increased investment for non-government organisations to expand peer workforce who utilise their own lived experience and understanding to improve support for people with mental health challenges.
- Crisis Support Spaces: Four new Crisis Support Spaces have been established in hospitals in Bundaberg, Logan, Redlands, and Sunshine Coast, providing specialist support for people experiencing a mental health crisis.
- Suicide aftercare: The expansion of Universal Suicide Aftercare and clinical coordinator positions across Queensland has improved access to community psychosocial support services for people following a suicide attempt or suicidal crisis.
