Background

Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Initiatives

COAG recognised that mental health is a major problem for the Australian community. COAG acknowledged that governments have made significant recent investments in the area but also noted that additional resources will be required from all governments to address the issues, which include:

• a renewed focus on promotion, prevention and early detection and intervention - including reducing the impact on mental health of substance abuse, including illicit drugs (such as cannabis and amphetamine-type substances) and alcohol;
• getting the balance right between hospital care, community and primary care and the best type of accommodation for people who are unable to manage on their own;
• improving and integrating the care system to enable the right care to be accessed at the right time, including mental health services, primary care, general practice, private psychiatric services and emergency department services;
• improving participation in the community and employment, including greater use of non-government organisations and improved community-based and cross-sectoral supports for people with mental illness and their families such as supported accommodation, rehabilitation services and respite care; and
  addressing structural issues such as workforce changes including the roles of different professions;
• increasing the role of psychologists and other health professionals in primary care;
• increasing the health workforce available to address mental health issues.
  

COAG has also agreed that the delivery of mental health services would be an integral element of the new National Health Call Centre Network.

Websites Links

http://www.coag.gov.au/meetings/100206/index.htm#mentalhealth

http://www.healthconnect.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/health-oatsih-programs-coag