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Mental health groups say the government did not go far enough in its commitment to create a digital platform for people with simpler mental health needs, and funding for more workers was more urgently needed.
The federal government says it will spend $588 million over eight years to set up a “low intensity digital mental health service”, which the government says will be designed to fill the gap for the 150,000 experiencing temporary periods of distress.
Access to up to 10 free telehealth sessions with a counsellor or social worker for low intensity issues, such as a relationship breakdown, or coaching to give someone the tools to work through issues at their own pace have been flagged as potential services the new platform could provide.
The government has been keen to stress the new platform will not be rolled out via an app and it will be delivered by humans, not artificial intelligence.
It will be modelled on the UK’s Talking Therapies model.
Mental Health Australia, who included the digital service in their pre-budget wish list, said it will be critical for the government to work with the sector and learn from successful models already in place in Australia, such as the government-funded MindSpot.
“The devil will be in the details,” chief executive Carolyn Nikoloski told the ABC.
The government will spend up to 18 months to consult and co-design the platform. But it is yet to determine how it will work beyond being “largely online and over the phone”.
Labor has been under pressure to provide more support for mental health services after it allowed a COVID-era measure for cheaper psychology sessions to expire, halving the number of subsidised visits available.
The health minister argued the so-called Better Access program was not serving all Australians equally and in need of a rethink.
But since that expired almost 18 months ago, it had not been replaced.
Health Minister Mark Butler said the new digital platform would be “filling the gap” for Australians who experience temporary periods of distress.
“It often means people end up seeking support from programs designed for diagnosed mental illness or in some instances using medication because these are the only options,” he said.
“This will support patients living with mild forms of mental illness.”
Beyond Blue described the funding as a “major step” towards the structural reform that “remains long overdue”.
“There is no part of the mental health system that doesn’t need fixing and by spreading [the] investment across the spectrum, from emerging distress to severe and complex needs, this budget acknowledges that,” Beyond Blue chief executive Georgie Harman said.
“But to be clear, this funding does fall far short of what’s required for the scale of change that’s needed for Australia to provide appropriate support for people with lived and living experience of mental ill-health and their supporters.”
Just under $30 million was committed to rebranding the Head to Health service centres as “Medicare Mental Health centres” amid concerns people were not aware of them.
From 2026, the people who visit the 61 centres will have walk in access to a psychologist or psychiatrist with no referral needed.
Another $72 million will be spent over four years for wrap around care from nurses, social workers, and counsellors for people with complex needs to access through their primary health network in between their GP and specialist appointments.
While the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) “cautiously welcomed” the rebranded mental health centres, it criticised the lack of “substantial commitment” to grow the mental health workforce.
“We can’t wait any longer – we urgently need targeted investment in the workforce, funnelled towards areas of greatest need and backed by data that psychiatrists have been calling on the government to collect,” president Elizabeth Moore said.
“Without this investment, Australians will continue to miss out on life saving and essential mental health care and treatment.”
