The West Australian government will pump an additional $414 million into mental health services over the next four years in the upcoming May budget, including $15.4 million for a 10-bed crisis recovery service trial.
Labor will also spend $122 million to ensure the continuation of third-party mental health provider services across WA.
The 10-bed trial, labelled the “crisis recovery and intervention support service”, will be based in the Perth region and is aimed at easing pressure on emergency departments, which are bearing the brunt of the state’s mental health crisis.
“The crisis recovery and intervention support service will be the first of its kind in the state, and an important initiative to provide person-centred care outside of a hospital,” Mental Health Minister Meredith Hammat said.
The beds will be available to people who require a higher level of support than provided in the community, but don’t need intensive hospital care.
Negotiations are under way to lease an existing building for the service.
According to the AMA’s public hospital report card released in November last year, WA’s emergency departments have grown to become the second-busiest in the country for mental health presentations, whereas 20 years ago, the state ranked the lowest.
The report found that since 2009-10, the rate of mental health ED presentations per 10,000 people nearly doubled from 67 to 130.
The AMA said at the time this signalled a concerning rise in unmet mental health needs within the population.
According to WA Association for Mental Health, the state desperately needed services to divert patients experiencing mental health issues away from EDs.
“Community-based support services are key in providing early intervention for individuals whose mental health is deteriorating – ultimately stopping them from reaching crisis point and needing to present to an emergency department,” the association said.
The extra funding comes on top of the $1.6 billion for mental health announced last year.
It was announced the same week the state released its 2026-2031 mental health and alcohol and other drugs strategy.
“The strategy focuses on prevention and early intervention, as well as the delivery of more programs and services in the community to provide alternatives to emergency departments and hospitals, while ensuring access to high-quality acute care for those who need it,” Hammat said.
The extra $122 million will be spent on keeping a range of community mental health programs running, including boosting the number of suicide prevention workers in WA’s regions.
The money will also expand the Perth-based Children and Young People Responsive Suicide Support program into the South West to deliver individual, group, and family counselling supports to children and young people who have lost someone to suicide.
The government’s management of the mental health system was thrust into the spotlight earlier this year after 18-year-old Hailee Hildebrandt, who was discharged from Fiona Stanley Hospital’s mental health ward on January 13 and died by suicide later that day.
Support is available from Lifeline 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636.
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Hamish Hastie is WAtoday’s state political reporter and the winner of five WA Media Awards, including the 2023 Beck Prize for best political journalism.Connect via X or email.
