SA state government joins Scott Morrison’s National Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement

More mental health services for kids and adults falling through the gaps is at the centre of the Liberals’ $128m suicide prevention plan.

Crucial mental health services for adults and kids falling through the gaps will be expanded as South Australia becomes the second state to sign up to the federal government’s suicide prevention plan.

The state and federal governments will invest a combined $127.8m over five years to establish four new adult mental health treatment centres across the state and expand Headspace services for young people.

The agreement is targeted at fixing the system’s “missing middle”, which the federal government describes as people who are neglected because they are too unwell for primary care but don’t require hospital treatment.

Premier Steven Marshall will use the deal as a major foothold for his state election campaign, declaring only a Liberal government “will fix the mental health mess Labor left after 16 years in government”.

“Providing more support and care services to people struggling with their mental health will alleviate the pressure on our emergency departments and allow people to access care in a more appropriate environment,” Mr Marshall told The Advertiser.

Premier Steven Marshall said the mental health plan would ease pressure on emergency departments. Picture: Kelly Barnes

A $101.1m chunk of the funding will be used to significantly expand the newly-created Head to Health network providing care to adults and creating 55 new health roles.

One new care centre will be established in Adelaide’s northern suburbs alongside a crisis stabilisation centre, providing care to patients in acute mental health crises, and one in Mount Barker that will be open 24/7. Two new satellite services in the southern and western suburbs will also be established.

At a cost of $15.6m, one new Headspace centre helping young people aged 12-25 will be created and staffing levels will be increased at several others across the state.

Nearly $11m will be spent on establishing a new Aboriginal mental health and wellbeing centre in an effort to reduce the state’s Indigenous suicide rate.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the “landmark” $127.8m overhaul would address gaps in the mental health system, ensuring people get support “when and where they need it”.

The state government’s $61.8m contribution to the agreement is part of Mr Marshall’s pledge to spend $500m on health.

Health Minister Greg Hunt labelled the SA agreement a “landmark” deal.

SA has become just the second state to sign up to Scott Morrison’s National Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement, first unveiled in last year’s May budget at a cost of $2.3bn.

NSW inked a $383m deal on Wednesday, but Mr Morrison is racing to sign up Labor states Victoria, Queensland, the ACT and Western Australia ahead of a national cabinet meeting on Friday.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said Mr Morrison would “need to do more than put a $100 note on the table”, suggesting the federal government’s contribution paled in comparison with what states were investing to tackle mental health.

“This is not a round of drinks, this is profound reform that only comes from profound investment,” Mr Andrews said.

Mr Marshall on Thursday will also announce a $5.57m election commitment to enhance the state’s child mental health services.

Labor has promised to spend $182m establishing 98 new mental health beds.

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