House debates

Monday, 25 October 2010

Private Members’ Business

Mental Health

Debate resumed, on motion by Mr Dutton:

That this House:

(1)
notes that:
(a)
mental illness afflicts more Australians than almost all other health disorders, only ranking behind cancer and heart disease in prevalence;
(b)
forty-five per cent of the nation’s population will experience a mental health disorder at some point in life;
(c)
younger Australians—those between 16 and 24—bear the brunt of mental illness, with prevalence of problems declining with age;
(d)
with early and targeted treatment, many people can overcome mental illness or lower the incidence of progression or relapse;
(e)
expansion of the headspace and Early Psychosis Prevention Intervention Centres (EPPIC) models could help an estimated 200 000 young Australians, and in doing so, free-up existing services for others with mental illnesses whilst alleviating pressures on public hospitals and emergency departments; and
(f)
the Government has moved to cut services in mental healthcare;
(2)
requires the Government to:
(a)
expand the number of headspace centres to a minimum of 90 nationally;
(b)
establish a national network of 20 EPPIC centres;
(c)
provide an additional 800 beds for mental health, associated with the EPPIC centres;
(d)
appropriate funds necessary to provide these critical steps to expanding mental health treatment facilities; and
(e)
immediately provide additional funds for existing headspace centres; and
(3)
sends a message to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur.

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