‘I’m afraid people will die’: Darling Downs lifesaving mental health service at risk of collapse amid funding uncertainty

More than 800 vulnerable people across the Darling Downs and South West could be left stranded as a leading mental health service could lose thousands of dollars in funding.

Momentum Board Chair Chris Black, Psychologist Clive Williams, CEO Shirley-Anne Gardiner, and Deputy Chair Don Carlson

Toowoomba’s only free bulk-billed psychology service could leave hundreds of vulnerable people without vital care after changes to the Primary Health Network mental health model could cut $668,000 in funding from the essential regional service.

Momentum Mental Health has been supporting the Darling Downs since 1996 and offers services to people with moderate to severe mental health challenges including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and PTSD.

Momentum CEO Shirley-Anne Gardiner said the recent funding cut will impact more than 800 people who have relied on their services this year.

Shirley-Anne Gardiner as leading Toowoomba mental health service Momentum faces uncertain future amid funding cut.

“Those 800 people will have nowhere to go and that’s really concerning,” she said.

“We work across the continuum of mental health, from severe and persistent mental illness, through to people wanting to work on their wellbeing.

“A lot of those people are going to have nowhere to go and I’m afraid people will die.”

PHN has moved to a new Integrated Mental Health Hub model and has delayed announcing the outcome of the tender, which has left Momentum with only temporary bridge funding and no guarantee for future funding going into the new financial year.

Momentum will no longer be able to offer free bulk billed clinical psychology services, stranding more than 200 people who are currently on the waitlist.

Momentum will reduce their staff by 63 per cent in Toowoomba, and Ms Gardiner said Momentum’s services in Chinchilla, Warwick, Miles and Tara will likely shut down.

“We believe in the Integrated Hub model that the funding has moved to, but we believe it should compliment existing services not just shuffle the deck chairs and remove funding from a provider that’s been around for almost 30 years,” she said.

“We will have to close all our regional sites because we will not be financially sustainable.

“It will be a huge loss of connection for people who are socially isolated. There are lack of services there and we provide valuable support for those people.”

Garth Hamilton and Shirley-Anne Gardiner as leading Toowoomba mental health service Momentum faces uncertain future amid funding cut.

Ms Gardiner said people are already waiting over six months for psychologist appointments across the region and the PHN decision makers don’t understand the necessity of Momentum’s services.

“If they actually saw the difference we made to real people’s lives they would think otherwise,” she said.

“The government could step in and tell the PHN of the importance of local services.”

Last Wednesday the Federal Government told Momentum staff they would receive a short-term decision within one or two business days, but they have yet to receive an update.

Momentum Board Chair Chris Black said he is disappointed that their funding partners through PHN have not made a decision and it leaves the future of Momentum uncertain.

“Lives are at risk as a result of these unnecessary delays and we are astonished that we’ve got to this point,” he said.

“We have a mental health epidemic within our region.

“We feel that there’s going to be a lot of people that continue to fall through the cracks.

“If the funding isn’t approved then long-term we are not viable.”

Garth Hamilton as leading Toowoomba mental health service Momentum faces uncertain future amid funding cut.

Groom MP Garth Hamilton called out the Federal Government for a failure to intervene in PHN’s decision making.

“Mr Albanese promised $1 billion of additional funding for mental health care. The reality we are now facing cuts,” he said.

“I need the minister to acknowledge that there’s a problem and step in and do something about it.

“You’re making decisions that just clearly aren’t aligned with community expectations and needs.
“I’m not letting the Minister off the hook. It’s his job. He needs to step in.”

Sign the Save Momentum Mental Health petition online at change.org.

If you or someone you know needs mental health support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Originally published as ‘I’m afraid people will die’: Darling Downs lifesaving mental health service at risk of collapse amid funding uncertainty