The Coalition's commitment to invest $400m in youth mental health is a welcome step towards addressing the declining mental health of young Australians.
In his budget response on Thursday night, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton pledged investment that would build vital new services, bolster headspace, and develop the role of Orygen to become a national institute.
Orygen is committed to continuing its work with sector partners to drive reform, working collaboratively to ensure this $400m investment would flow to all parts of Australia and be used to boost existing, and build new, innovative youth mental health services.
The Coalition’s proposal marks the first notable federal policy announcement on youth mental health in several years and, if implemented, would go a significant way to meeting the urgent recommendations outlined by sector leaders in a six-point plan released last week.
“It is encouraging to see that the Coalition’s commitment has put this national crisis squarely on the agenda as we head to an election on May 3,” Professor Pat McGorry, Executive Director of Orygen, said.
“Two in five young Australians experience mental ill-health every year – a 50 per cent increase in 15 years – and independent polling shows that 82 per cent of voters want action, so there's both a necessity and a mandate.”
Orygen looks forward to exploring the Coalition’s policy in detail, but is pleased to see it seeks to address two areas that require urgent reform: overwhelmed headspace centres, and the ‘missing middle’, which is the gaping lack of secondary care services between primary care (mild to moderate illness), and tertiary care in emergency departments.
Orygen also supports expanding its remit as the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health to become the National Institute, to ensure its evidence-based approaches can support Australia’s response to this global problem.
“The Productivity Commission has found mental illness and suicide cost the Australian economy upwards of $200 billion per year,” Professor McGorry said.
“With up to 75 per cent of mental ill-health emerging before the age of 25, investing in the wellbeing of young Australians is both an obligation and incredible opportunity.”