Role
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and state and territory governments established the Psychosocial Project Group to progress commitments under the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement (National Agreement) in relation to future arrangements for providing psychosocial supports outside the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
From September 2022 to May 2024, the Psychosocial Project Group conducted an analysis of unmet demand for psychosocial supports outside the NDIS.
On 16 August 2024, Australian Health and Mental Health Ministers agreed to release the Final Report of the Analysis of unmet need for psychosocial supports outside of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The report is accompanied by the Statement from Australian Health Ministers: Analysis of unmet need for psychosocial supports outside of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
The report estimates, in 2022-23, around 230,500 people living with a severe mental health challenges (aged 12 to 64 years) were unable to access psychosocial supports.
On 13 June 2025, Ministers agreed that addressing unmet psychosocial needs will be one of the central priorities in consideration of the next National Agreement. Ministers also agreed to at least maintain existing funding for psychosocial support services delivered through the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments to ensure service continuity for the community.
The Psychosocial Project Group is working with lived experience and sector representatives to inform negotiations on the next National Agreement.
More information about the Psychosocial Project role and work remit is outlined in its terms of reference.
Consultation and engagement
The Psychosocial Project Group will consult with people across Australia to inform negotiations of the next National Agreement. The Psychosocial Project Group will be consulting with:
- consumers with lived experience around Australia
- chosen supporters/carers, family and kin
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- people impacted by suicide
- service providers
- other key stakeholders.
The Psychosocial Project Group will also draw from, and build on, a comprehensive evidence base. This includes recent consultations and submissions to governments, research and reports, including the Analysis of Unmet Need for Psychosocial Supports outside of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
First phase targeted consultations
Over January and February 2025, we undertook a series of targeted consultations on behalf of the Psychosocial Project Group to inform consideration of future directions. These targeted consultations involved a range of stakeholders, including:
- peak bodies
- people with lived experience and their chosen supporters, carers, family and kin
- service providers
- topic experts.
Targeted consultation participants were asked to consider:
- case for change
- vision and guiding principles for future psychosocial supports
- characteristics of good and emerging practice models
- system enablers and what broader system improvements are needed
- what success looks like.
Members
The Psychosocial Project Group includes representatives from:
- the Australian government
- state and territory governments
- people with expertise in mental health lived experience.
| Member | Jurisdiction | Position |
|---|---|---|
Kristen Price (from May 2024) Past member: Sarah Hawke | Australian Government (Co-chair) | Assistant Secretary, Suicide Prevention Branch – Department of Health, Disability and Ageing |
| Sandra Eyre | Queensland (Co-chair) | Senior Director, Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs Branch – Queensland Health |
| Amy Wyndham | New South Wales | Director, Community Programs and Partnerships, Mental Health Branch – NSW Health |
| Vincent Ponzio (from October 2024) | New South Wales | Director, Disability and Social Policy, Mental Health Branch – NSW Health |
Emily Ramsey (from October 2024) Past member: Phil Watson | Victoria | Director, Service System Design Adult and Older Adults – VIC Department of Health |
| Ruth Langmead | Western Australia | Assistant Director, Strategic Management – WA Mental Health Commission |
Melanie Robinson (from February 2025) Past member: Gise Paine, Amy Greenfield | South Australia | Manager, Planning Service Design and Strategy – SA Department for Health and Wellbeing |
Kelly Ford (from July 2025) Past member: Jane Austin, Kate Garvey | Tasmania | Group Director, Mental Health Reform Services – TAS Department of Health |
| Wendy Kipling | Australian Capital Territory | Senior Director, Mental Health Policy and Strategy – ACT Health and Community Services Directorate |
Melissa Heywood (from April 2024) Past member: Cherise Daiyi | Northern Territory | Senior Policy Officer, Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs Branch – NT Health |
Katrina Armstrong (from October 2024) Priscilla Brice (from October 2024) Heather Nowak (from October 2024) Susan Adam (from October 2024) Past member: Deb Hamilton* | Lived experience representative | CEO – National Mental Health Family, Carers and Kin Peak Body CEO – National Mental Health Consumer Peak Body Consumer representative – Lived Experience Group Carer, family and kin representative – Lived Experience Group |
|
Meeting summary
Psychosocial Project Group – Meeting Summary – Meeting 19
Previous reports
The consultation plan for the unmet need analysis project outlined stakeholder consultation and engagement for the project, including timings for national workshops.
The first national virtual workshop with stakeholders was held on 18 August 2023. As outlined in the Consultation Workshop 1 Summary, this workshop tested the unmet need analysis method with stakeholders.
The second national virtual workshop with stakeholders was held on 22 March 2024. Key themes from consultation on the draft estimates of psychosocial need, service provision and limitations are presented in the report.
The project group released project updates to keep psychosocial sector stakeholders informed of progress on the unmet need analysis project.
Contact
