Jeremy Rockliff,Premier
Michael Ferguson,Deputy Premier
More than $55 million will be invested into mental health and suicide prevention support and services across Tasmania over the next five years, following the signing of a landmark bilateral agreement between the Australian and Tasmanian Liberal Governments.
The new agreement provides for a range of co-funded mental health and suicide prevention initiatives, including services for adults and children, aftercare services, eating disorders, perinatal mental health screening, and a single statewide intake and assessment phone service.
This agreement represents a significant, long-term shared investment to ensure all Tasmanians have access to high-quality, patient-centred mental health care where and when they need it.
Through the agreement, the Australian Government will invest $45.6 million and the Tasmanian Government will contribute $9.4 million in-kind as part of our major investment in mental health reform.
The funding includes:
- $24.7 million to establish three new Head to Health satellite clinics in Burnie, Devonport, and Outer Hobart to provide mental health care for adults across the State aligning with state-based services, including Tasmania’s Integration Hubs. This includes ongoing funding for the state’s first Head to Health centre in Launceston;
- $4.2 million to establish a new Headspace centre in Rosny Park, and $2.9 million to boost the clinical capacity of existing headspace sites across Tasmania (Burnie, Devonport, Hobart, Launceston);
- $12.6 million to deliver three Head to Health Kids Centres within Tasmania’s Child and Family Learning Centres (CFLCs);
- $2.5 million to establish and deliver three eating disorder day programs in 2022-23;
- $5.2 million for universal aftercare services to support individuals discharged from hospital following a suicide attempt; and
- $3 million to support perinatal mental health screening.
In signing the bilateral agreement, the Australian Government recognises the Tasmanian Government’s major investment in mental health reform.
This includes $41.2 million to reform the delivery of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, $26 million to deliver better mental health services, and $20 million to prioritise prevention and early intervention and to empower Tasmanians to improve their own mental health and wellbeing.
As part of the agreement, our governments will continue to work together to develop a joint implementation plan and to progress current and future mental health and suicide prevention initiatives.
It will also strengthen our partnership in service delivery through increased data sharing, evaluation of services, closer integration of referral pathways and ongoing work in regional planning and commissioning of services.
As a result, the agreement will assist in achieving our long-term goals to improve timely access to care and improved mental health outcomes for our community.
This is why we are working in partnership with the Commonwealth Government – to make sure individuals with mental health needs, their families, carers or friends are able to find help and support where and when they need it.
If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, support is available:
- Access Mental Health 1800 332 388;
- Lifeline on 13 11 14;
- Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800;
- Suicide Call Back Service 300 659 467;
- Through your GP; or
- Triple Zero in an emergency.
