Wow. 4500 mental health incidents involving the police in the ACT in 2023. That's 12 a day. Retiring police chief suggests police presence causes 'aggravation' in these situations. Need a better way. johnmenadue.com/police-chief-h… MHCC ACT CMHA 🏳️‍🌈 Emma Davidson ACT ☀️

Mental health commissions could achieve so much more, and here are some ways forward
By Sebastian Rosenberg & Prof Alan Rosen
croakey.org/mental-health-…
#MentalHealthReform
#Accountability
#AusPol

Following on from my article about Mental Health Commissions, here mja.com.au/journal/2024/2…, here is another, written with Prof Alan Rosen, about the way forward for commissions: croakey.org/mental-health-… Mark Butler MP QMHC Mental Health Commission of NSW Ian Hickie National Mental Health Commission

Foundational Supports and Out of Hospital Care - two great opportunities to build out our mental health system, beyond Medicare and the hospital system. We can finally fund and grow community mental health services - the long lost cousin. Here's how: mhccact.org.au/wp-content/upl…

Before we reinvest blindly in Medicare or hospital care, we really need to map out the service landscape of community mental health care, writes Dr Sebastian Rosenberg

ow.ly/zaUw50QVf0I

'For the first time in many years, key financial instruments of government may be the catalyst for real reform in mental health' insightplus.mja.com.au/2024/10/mental… Ian Hickie Mark Butler MP Health Research Institute Brain & Mind Centre Patrick McGorry Emma Davidson ACT ☀️

Australia's mental health commissions: evaluating a natural experiment -
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.5694/mj…
Commissions could still play a role in driving better accountability in mental health in Australia. But if they are not equipped to do this work, what are they doing? @ianhickie

What is the community-managed mental health sector?

We're glad you asked!

AIHW's very helpful mental health expenditure report aihw.gov.au/mental-health/… has now unfortunately become somewhat less helpful, mysteriously rounding up to nearest whole dollars rather than providing more accurate dollars and cents. Why was this done? AIHW

What about reporting deaths within 3/6 months of receiving any mental health care? Using data to better understand what is happening to people and how their experiences of care could be improved? Not that many to count….. theguardian.com/australia-news…

The AIHW report that in 2021-22, total government spending on mental health care was $11.585bn, while total health spending by government reached $170.836bn. Mental health's share was therefore 6.78%, the lowest it has been since 1992, the year the National MH Strategy commenced.

Here is ROGS data presented graphically showing 9 years of the Better Access Program. FYI, in total over this period, Australians received more than 117.5m services costing $16.7bn (to 21-22). Hence Govt concern to ensure value, equity & affordability in primary mental health.

New ROGS data shows difficulty states & territories have in lifting rate of access to care for new clients needing mental health care. Put another way, seems same group of clients keep returning. Why does help they get now not lead to recovery? What could be done differently?

AIHW report ever increasing cost of a mental health bed in a public hospital. Some significant variations - a bed day costs 37% more in WA than Qld! Surely time to properly invest in the clinical and psychosocial support services designed to help people AVOID hospital.

Mental health promotion and prevention key to addressing youth mental health crisis croakey.org/addressing-the… Brain & Mind Centre Ian Hickie Patrick McGorry

Latest AIHW expenditure data show that the states and territories are allocating just 6.65% of their total mental health spending on the psychosocial services provided by NGOs. This leaves consumers with too few alternatives to hospital-based ED, inpatient or outpatient care.

ROGS 2024 data also reveal that the proportion of mental health-related emergency department presentations seen within clinically recommended waiting times was 60% in 2021-22, down from 68% in 2016-17. Australia urgently need alternatives to hospital-based care. Ian Hickie

New clients in Medicare subsidised mental health services now represent just 26.1% of total service users. Down from 35.5% in 2013-14. Are people stuck in services not be working for them? This needs overhaul to avoid waste and ensure quality. Ian Hickie Mark Butler MP

Rate of hospitalisation for mental health increased per 10,000 people, from 73 in 2012-13 to 80 in 2021-22 in public hospitals. This trend towards hospitalisation for mental health not mirrored by non-mental health conditions. Why is mental health system so focused on hospitals?

Recent growth in Medicare mental health services seems to have stalled, according to AIHW data. Puts more pressure on need for workforce redesign, supported by payment system that incentivises the right care in the right places, especially the community. Ian Hickie National Mental Health Commission