The Andrews Government’s budget commits significant funding to mental health services in Victoria. The Victorian Psychologists Association welcomes this funding and believes it will provide a much needed boost to expand mental health services across Victoria.
In particular the Victorian Psychologists Association is pleased to see additional funding for the state’s mental health institutions and to increase access for those requiring urgent mental health assistance.
The VPA also welcomes additional funding targeted at increasing the mental health workforce including for the employment of psychologists. The increase in funding will necessitate an increase in mental health workers but it will be a major challenge for the Andrews Government to ensure mental health services are properly staffed with specialist mental health clinicians such as psychologists.
Quotes attributable to Dr Rosemary Kelly:
“The Victorian Psychologists Association welcomes the Andrews Government delivering much needed funding boosts to critical mental health services.”
“But caution must be exercised in ensuring that staff increases are focused on specialist mental health clinicians such as psychologists to boost the ability for public health facilities to deliver on the government’s commitment to improving mental health of all Victorians.”
“The Victorian Psychologists Association also welcomes the additional funding committed to the Thomas Embling Hospital and the massive boost in funding to address family violence including the workforce needed to deliver services.”
“And we also welcome the increased funding to drug and alcohol services, and urges the government to ensure that sufficient psychologists and other specialist clinicians are recruited to service the additional 30 beds and other services.”
“This is an important budget for the mental health needs of all Victorians including additional funding to provide for the employment of more staff to ensure that all Victorians are able to enjoy good mental health.”
For further comment and information contact:
Dr Rosemary Kelly
VPA Inc Secretary
Ph: 9623 9625
