Helen & Ted with Jason Dowling of The Sunday Age after launching the policy

 Our plan for mental health released last week will return Victoria to the forefront of mental health care in Australia with $225.7 million of initiatives.

The plan is designed to tackle a problem that has become the western
world’s pandemic and is getting worse.

Speaking at the Melbourne Press Club Mr Baillieu said that “Mental illness can no longer remain a hidden disease, an affliction compounded by social stigma”.

‘We must all recognise its impact on individuals, their families and friends, on communities and in the workplace,’ he said.

The policy includes:

RESPONDING TO CRIES FOR HELP

• Intensive response the first time patients present with an episode of mental illness – which offers best chance of recovery – by immediately initiating a treatment program of up to 18-months to address the whole illness, not just what triggered the episode.
• Focus on the mental health of our youth by providing dedicated treatment when they need it most.
• Respond to the severity of the episode by clinical diagnosis, not by what age-group the patient happens to fall into.

A SAFE PLACE FOR SOLACE

• Open four new Prevention and Recovery Centres across Victoria to expand existing community-based care accommodation, and tackle the lack of care for those shuffled through the hospital system.
• Introduce dedicated mental health centres at five major emergency departments with separate response staff, waiting rooms and assessment areas.
• Upgrade the Parkville ORYGEN youth health site to include a 28-day inpatient unit.

MORE IN-HOME SUPPORT

• Boost funding for in-home acute care through new Mental Health Acute Care teams.
• Ensuring Crisis Assessment Teams are the frontline help in any incidents of psychosis or episode of mental illness.
• Train police and ambulance officers to deal appropriately with mentally ill offenders.
• Remove the burden mental health patients place on hospital-based care and emergency departments by addressing severe shortage of in-home support services.
• Release patients under mandatory protocols to ensure they have greater connection with their community.

Victoria’s spending on mental health has slipped, despite it once being the nation’s highest.

A Liberal Government will promote mental health and provide treatment and support for people suffering mental illness and their families and carers.

Click to read A Liberal Plan for Mental Health Care in Victoria