Revealed: What Qld gov’s $120m mental health levy achieved

Mental health care programs across Queensland are set to receive multimillion-dollar boosts over the next four years, with the government spending $120m of cash gleaned from a levy on business.

Mental health care programs across Queensland is set to receive multimillion-dollar boosts over the next four years, with the government spending $120m of cash gleaned from a levy on business.

The first annual report into how much and where the state government has spent funding obtained from a mental health levy first announce in the 2022 budget will be released on Wednesday.

The “mental health” levy on businesses with an annual wages bill of more than $10m a year was implemented after the Courier-Mail’s Through the Cracks campaign which highlighted the state’s lack of spending on mental health services.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman will release the first report on Wednesday.

Treasurer Cameron Dick in 2022 announced $425m a year would be set aside to fund mental health services across Queensland, with the levy to rake in $1.6bn over five years.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman, in the first annual Better Care Together report to be released on Wednesday, will reveal the state spent $119.8m in 2022/23.

The levy came into effect in January 2023 and collected $183m in the first six months.

Mr Dick, in parliament on Tuesday, said by 2026/27 the strength of the Queensland economy means collections for the mental health levy are forecast to grow to $466m.

“Every dollar of that revenue will be used to invest in mental health and alcohol and drug services, and every dollar will make a positive difference for mental health patients and their families,” he said.

The Better Care Report will also outline where the government plans to spend money into the future.

This will include $32.9m into 2027 for specialised eating disorder services and the expansion of Eating Disorders Queensland to provide community-based psychosocial support.

There is also $39m to expand the Mental Health Hospital in The Home (HITH) program to five hospital and health services over the next four years.

The service provides intensive specialist care, treatment, and support for a person at home (or other appropriate location) with the same quality of care as the person would receive in hospital.

Over the next four years, each HHS will have six to ten virtual beds added via the program.

The expansion of the service will result in about 50 full-time equivalent positions according to the state government.

“We know from experience how successful the Hospital in the Home (HITH) program is, with more than 61,000 HITH admissions across Queensland public hospitals since July 2021,” she said.

“The new services will be established in Cairns and Hinterland, Darling Downs, Gold Coast, Metro North and West Moreton hospital and health services over the next four years and will help support the mental health and wellbeing of Queenslanders.”