Key Points
A Rebecca White Labor Government will prioritise mental health services, filling the gaps after 10 years of Liberal neglect.
Labor has worked constructively with the mental health and health sectors and has a plan to provide a more long-term and regionalised model of care to support our community’s mental health.
As part of our Plan for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Labor will:
- Employ more nurses, social workers and psychologists in our schools
- Expand the Mental Health Emergency Response Service statewide
- Restore psychiatric emergency nurse positions within our hospital emergency departments
- Provide free mental health checks for teenagers
- Establish 10 new Mother Baby Beds statewide – NW, North and South. With support for a Perinatal Mental Health Centre in Hobart and establish dedicated programs for families dealing with perinatal exhaustion, feeding and settling issues, and postnatal depression or anxiety
- Work to provide more Adolescent Mental Health beds in the north
- Prioritise statewide access to walk-in mental health centres.
Why we need it
After 10 year of the Liberals, Tasmania has the worst result of any state for mental health patients being seen within the clinically recommended timeframes.
“Labor will prioritise mental health services, filling the gaps after 10 years of Liberal neglect”
The Liberals have also failed to prioritise maternal and perinatal mental health services across the state, which was evident with the closure of St Helen’s Private Hospital.
We also continue to be one of the worst performers in the nation when it comes to the length of Emergency Department mental health presentation stays, and the wait-times are only getting worse.
If the Liberals haven’t addressed the issue in 10 years, they never will. Don’t give them 14. By contrast, a Labor Government will make the health of Tasmanians a priority and this includes providing a better future for our mental health.
The details
Labor’s Plan will:
- Provide an additional $8 million a year to employ more nurses, social workers and psychologists in our schools.
- Invest $2.5 million per year to expand the Mental Health Emergency Response Service statewide to include a permanent presence on the North-West Coast and Launceston.
- Restore eight psychiatric emergency nurse positions within our hospital emergency departments. These nurses can immediately respond to and treat the needs of someone who presents in ED experiencing mental illness or mental ill health.
- Provide free mental health checks for teenagers at 32 community health centres. Under this initiative, teenagers can have their mental health and wellbeing screened by a nurse who provide advice and, if needed, a referral.
- Invest $5 million a year for four years to establish small, dedicated community day programs and residential stay services for families dealing with perinatal exhaustion, feeding and settling issues and postnatal depression or anxiety.
This will include state-wide Mother Baby Units - with two beds in the North West, four beds in Launceston and four new beds in Hobart, coupled with day programs, virtual homecare and some community outreach. The service will be staffed primarily by specialised nurses with support from general practitioners and liaison with paediatric and psychiatric services where required. - Establish 10 new Mother Baby Beds statewide – NW, North and South. With support for a Perinatal Mental Health Centre in Hobart and establish dedicated programs for families dealing with perinatal exhaustion, feeding and settling issues, and postnatal depression or anxiety
- Work to provide dedicated Adolescent Mental Health Beds in Northern Tasmania for young adults in need of in-patient care.
- Work with the Federal Government to prioritise state-wide access to walk-in mental health centres, like Head to Health in Launceston and the Peacock Centre in Hobart, as crucial points of entry into Tasmania’s mental health system.
- Commit $320,000 across three years to fund the heavy vehicle Open Road Program, which provides dedicated support for those in the transport industry who have been left with psychosocial injuries from crashes.
- Provide $300,000 to continue to employ a mental health worker for the Circular Head Region. Mental health care is critical for our local communities and we have once again listened to the Circular Head community and will commit $100,000 each year for the next three years to employ a mental health worker. We will review that commitment after the initial three-year period.
- Work alongside SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY to raise awareness of youth mental health and prevent suicide by committing $390,000 a year for three years towards the Stay ChatTY Sports Program.
- Work with the Federal Government to bring forward investment for the St Johns Park Health and Wellbeing Precinct Masterplan.