Tara Murray
The new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act that is formed by the state government needs to better recognise the roles of key players, according to a new report.
The state government sought feedback from the community on ways to improve the act, which will replace Mental Health Act 2014.
The change is one of the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System and will help build the state’s new mental health system.
The report, The new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act: What we heard, was released last week and highlights Victorians’ desire for the act to better recognise people with lived experience, the positive role that clinicians and mental health workers play in the system, and the diversity of those accessing services.
The report said the act needs to address the impacts of trauma on mental health and wellbeing, the stigma about mental health, worker safety, social determinants of health, integration and access for all Victorians.
The feedback also acknowledges that some more complex issues require more time than the act’s recommended timelines to develop world-class regulations – for example, the criteria around compulsory mental health treatment.
The feedback supported a cultural shift that reduces the need for compulsory treatment and increased oversight, reporting and monitoring. The government is planning an independent review into this next year.
Overall, 283 written submissions were received and there were 28 targeted engagement sessions, with more than 500 Victorians providing further feedback on the proposals.
Mental Health Minister James Merlino said the government was listening to everyone’s views as it developed the new act to deliver the care and treatment every Victorian deserves.
The report comes as the state government announced $16.3 million to expand the Mobile Targeted Assertive Outreach mental health teams statewide.
The funding will support an extra 560 young people each year.
