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PDF printable version of More Australians Access Mental Health Care (PDF 21 KB)

15 March 2011

Record numbers of Australians are receiving mental health treatment according to an evaluation released today, however there are still some groups who are not accessing the services they need.

Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Mark Butler said while treatment rates for people with mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression have improved from 35 per cent in 2007 to an estimated 46 per cent in 2010, many young people, men, people living in rural and remote areas and people in areas of high socio-economic disadvantage were still missing out.

These are among the findings of a significant evaluation of the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the Medicare Benefits Schedule (Better Access) initiative released today by Mr. Butler.

Better Access provides Medicare rebates for mental health services. Its evaluation was commissioned by the Department of Health and Ageing in 2008 and was overseen by experts in the mental health and research fields.

The evaluation also found that:

• from 2007 to 2009, over two million people received more than 11.1 million mental health services;
• around half of all Better Access consumers may be new, not only to Better Access but to mental health care more generally;
• the initiative was providing value for money for those it reached; and
• consumers experienced clinically significant reductions in levels of psychological distress and symptom severity upon completing treatment.

Current investment in the Better Access has been $1.45 billion from 2006-7 to the end of 2009-10.

Mr Butler said that the evaluation findings are encouraging, especially on access and improvements to treatment rates for common mental disorders. But they also point to some areas that are of particular concern and that echo the feedback received from the mental health forums held late last year.

“We still need to do more for those people who are continuing to miss out on much needed mental health care – men, young people and those living in rural and remote areas as well as areas of socio-economic disadvantage.

“It is also vital we focus our efforts on getting the right care to the most vulnerable in our society, including those at greatest risk of suicide, young people, Indigenous Australians and those with severe and persistent conditions.”

Mr Butler added that mental health reform is a key priority of the Labor Government’s second term and this is why the Prime Minister asked him to establish and chair the Expert Advisory Group on Mental Health.

“The Group has already started to provide ideas for real improvements to the mental health system that are achievable and make the best possible use of current government resources.

“The Better Access evaluation is a really important piece of information to help inform the Government’s reform efforts and ensure the balance of services across the spectrum of mental illness.

“The Gillard Government is committed, through our reform efforts, to ensuring that mental health services are coordinated, cost-effective and, fundamentally, targeted to those people most in need, he said.

In addition to Better Access, the Government is investing $120.7 million between 2010 and 2014 in the Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) program, which delivers psychology services at low or no cost to patients and targets hard to reach groups.

The Government is also investing $64.2m between 2010 and 2014 in mental health services in rural and remote areas under the Mental Health Services in Rural and Remote Areas program.

For more information, Contact the Minister’s Office on 02 6277 7220