State Budget 2022: Funding blitz provides brighter outlook for South Australians’ mental health

South Australia’s mental health system will receive almost $300m extra for dozens more hospital beds, increased expert care and cash for other vital services.

South Australia’s mental health system will receive almost $300m extra for dozens more hospital beds, increased expert care and cash for other vital services.

The state budget will on Thursday detail an extra 100 mental health inpatient beds, the majority at three of Adelaide’s hospitals.

Under the $293m total cash injection over the next four years, single hospital rooms would help provide greater security for patients and staff with better treatment care, officials said.

The Queen Elizabeth, Modbury and Noarlunga hospitals will get 24 new rooms each; 12 will be built in Mt Barker, 10 for the Women’s and Children’s while six will be in Mt Gambier.

Another 20 will be home care.

A further 100 new mental health and learning support specialists will work across the state’s 500 public schools, at a cost of $50m.

More than 20 child specialists, including psychiatrists, psychologists and highly trained nurses, will also be hired over the next four years, costing almost $11m.

The government said a significant boost in community funding will be announced.

This will increase budgets for public community mental health crisis teams, SIDS and Kids SA, the Mates in Construction suicide prevention program as well as specialised training for pharmacists.

The annual mental health budget is currently $526m.

Authorities have warned Covid had sparked widespread concerns about mental illness that would last for years past the pandemic.

Health Minister Chris Picton said the measures will allow bigger capacity to treat more patients and relieve pressure on hospital staff and emergency departments, which will also tackle ramping.

“This funding will provide a generational increase in capacity for our overstretched mental health services,” he said on Wednesday.

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan added: “Protecting the mental health of South Australians is crucial.”