Mental health experts in regional and rural Victoria will get their say on the issues that matter to them as the Andrews Labor Government’s historic Mental Health Royal Commission starts to take shape.
Minister for Mental Health Martin Foley will hold regional roundtable discussions in Ballarat, Bendigo, Mildura and Shepparton today and tomorrow to hear from the people best placed to help shape the Terms of Reference for the Royal Commission.
The roundtables will include representatives from the mental health workforce, service providers, community support groups, academics and most importantly, people and their families who have lived experience with mental illness.
Every year, one in five Victorians experience a mental illness, but only about half of these receive treatment. Last year alone, we lost 621 Victorians to suicide.
The Royal Commission is the first of its kind in Australia and will provide comprehensive recommendations on how to best reform the current mental health system and support Victorians with mental illness, including those at risk of suicide.
Last month, the Labor Government gave all Victorians an opportunity to have their say over the Terms of Reference for the Royal Commission. Already, more than 5,000 Victorians have made a submission online.
Regional roundtables will also be held in Geelong and Traralgon over the next fortnight. To have your say on the Terms of Reference into Mental Health, visit engage.vic.gov.au
If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or BeyondBlue on 1300 224 636.
As stated by Minister for Mental Health Martin Foley
“One in five Victorians experience mental illness every year. We know we don’t have all the answers to improve the system – only a Royal Commission will help us do that.”
“Regional Victorians are disproportionately affected by poor Mental Health. We want to know what matters to them – and what we can do better.”
“The Mental Health Royal Commission Terms of Reference won’t just be developed by the experts – it will be shaped by the everyday Victorians who count on the system to be the best it can be.”
