Abbott reveals $1.5b mental health plan

A coalition proposal to fund early intervention mental health programs will ease the
burden on services caring for patients with advanced mental illness, Australian of
the Year Professor Patrick McGorry says.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott on Wednesday announced a coalition government would
provide $1.5 billion to fund early intervention and youth mental health services.
With the prospect of an election date announcement looming, Mr Abbott launched into
campaign mode with a plan to provide 800 acute and sub-acute early intervention
beds, 60 new youth mental health centres and 20 Early Psychosis Prevention and
Intervention Centres (EPPIC).
There is currently only one Early Psychosis Intervention Centre in Australia, based
in metropolitan Melbourne.
The plan to roll the centres out nationally was a key recommendation in the federal
government's health commission reform report.
Prof McGorry, who previously criticised the Labor government for failing to
prioritise mental health funding, said investing in early intervention centres would
ease pressure on the mainstream mental health system.
"A lot of these young patients then won't have to go into the mainstream system,
freeing up a lot of capacity for patients in later stages of illness," Prof McGorry
told AAP.
He said it could also ease the burden on hospital emergency departments, where young
people often presented after attempting self-harm.
Opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton said the new measures would ensure young
people were cared for in appropriate settings, which would in turn relieve pressure
on public hospitals.
Mr Abbott said the announcement was "a big further step along the path to better
mental health services in our country".
He said the services would be funded by previously announced spending cuts.
If elected, the coalition would make the funding available in its first year of
government while the EPPIC centres and additional sites for Australia's National
Youth Mental Health Foundation, headspace, would open progressively over the
following four years.
The plan would increase the number of headspace centres from 30 to 90.
Health Minister Nicola Roxon said there was a big question mark over the coalition's
plan.
"As the health minister (Mr Abbott) ripped $1 billion out of our hospitals and in
his budget reply only last month, he promised to rip another $800 million out of our
health and hospital services," she told reporters in Sydney.
"I think there is a very big question mark over whether this is phoney Tony or real
Tony making these commitments."
The Mental Health Council of Australia called on the federal government to reveal
its plans for mental health and implement all recommendations in its own health
commission reform report.
The Australian Medical Association welcomed the coalition's mental health funding
commitment but said more needed to be done.
"In terms of improved mental health care in Australia, the AMA hopes to see further
commitments that will improve patient access to care from specialist psychiatrists
in community-based settings," a statement from the organisation said.
Earlier this month the head of the National Advisory Council on Mental Health, John
Mendoza, quit his post, saying the government showed no commitment or vision to
mental health.
Mr Mendoza, Labor's former top adviser on mental health, said on Wednesday that Mr
Abbott's announcement was a "game changer".
"Clearly the federal opposition has been listening," he told Sky News.
"It's certainly in my view the most significant announcement by any political party
in relation to mental health in Australia."
It was well-targeted and evidence-based, he added.