The Mental Health Month Roundtable 2023 saw more than 100 representatives from across the Non-Government, Government and private sectors including police, hospital staff, researchers and Members of Parliament come together to discuss the findings of the The Unmet Needs Study commissioned by the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist (SA Health), and to identify priorities for the sector in meeting the demand for psychosocial support.
This study revealed the largest gap in the state’s public sector mental health service where only 1 in 4 people get access to the psychosocial support they need to live well.
The Roundtable presented findings of a recent statewide consultation of the sector conducted by MHCSA, and began to unpack workforce, service model and evaluation priorities, with discussions focused on the creation of pathways to connect people to the right support, integration between services, workforce capacity and capability, and how to measure the right outcomes, as well as opportunities for enhanced partnerships and collaboration.
The discussion also included how the continuing failure to address this mental health gap is having worsening impacts on emergency and crisis services in health but also across other health, social and welfare services including in rural SA.
To date the only public response from the Minister is to advise the media that the report had been shared with the Commonwealth but with no indication so far of any agreements regarding cost sharing or timeframes as to when the 19,000 people and their families can expect to receive the services they need. Given this, we have formally written to Premier Malinauskas and Treasurer Mulligan asking that South Australia fund its half of the recommended $125m from the UnMet Needs Study in the mid-year Budget Review that is coming up.
You can access the Summary Report here, and during the first few months of 2024, we will further explore the following key themes through a series of Sector Leader Forums, with more information to come. Please email your interest in attending one or more of the upcoming forums to kate.hawtin@mhcsa.org.au and we’ll add you to the list.
