More community support for Victorians with a mental illness
Community support and treatment will be available to thousands more Victorians with a mental illness as a result of a significant funding boost, Mental Health Minister Mary Wooldridge said today.
Ms Wooldridge said the Victorian Coalition Government had allocated $8.3 million over four years for additional home-based outreach and $26.9 million over four years to increase community-based clinical treatment.
The home-based outreach funding will ensure more Victorians can access earlier effective treatment in their homes – delivered by community-based service providers – to assist them to make a longer-term recovery.
"In some areas, such as Melbourne's inner east, Bayside, Warrnambool and the Southern Grampians, people will have access to this home-based support for the first time," Ms Wooldridge said
"This funding will help meet growing demand for home-based outreach support for people with a severe mental illness and high-level psychiatric disability.
"The Coalition Government believes Victorians should have access to high-quality mental health recovery services that focus on reducing the risk of severe long-term mental illness.
"The home-based outreach program will help people with a severe mental illness manage their own mental health and better make choices about their support."
Ms Wooldridge said the funding would fund 60 new outreach packages, which over four years is expected to support more than 100 people.
The Coalition Government has also committed $26.9 million over four years to increase community-based clinical treatment, which will enable clinical mental health services treat more than 3,000 additional adults with severe mental illness.
"This funding will assist clinical mental health services to meet growing demand, particularly in outer suburban growth areas," Ms Wooldridge said.
"It will allow the employment of 44 additional specialist mental health workers including social workers, occupational therapists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses and consultant psychiatrists.
"The additional clinicians will assist to reduce the demand for acute inpatient services by improving treatment and care options in the community, preventing crisis and emergency department presentations and reduce unplanned readmission to hospitals."
The funding is part of the Coalition Government's $104.8 million package to provide earlier and more effective treatment and support for people with a mental illness.
Please see attached document for details of package allocations.
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