Funding boost for mental health services in bush
Regional health organisations will be given more money to spend on targeted mental health services.
Primary health organisations will be given more money to spend on targeted mental health services after raising concerns about their ability to improve community wellbeing and prevent suicide.
The Morrison government will today announce $1.45 billion in mental health funding for its 31 primary health networks, which is $170 million more than under its current three-year package.
The funding will flow from July and allow each PHN to direct services to the areas most in need. This is in addition to recent funding top-ups for youth services, telehealth in the bush, and for GPs who work in residential aged care.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said the government would also allow PHNs to automatically qualify for funding every year, subject to meeting certain performance measures.
“This will particularly benefit those living in rural and remote areas, where staffing shortages due to employment uncertainty have reduced access to mental health services,” Mr Hunt said.
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