The 2012-13 federal budget has been released, and according to some expert commentators, there is good and bad news for mental health arising from the budget.
The good news is:
- Overall funding for mental health has not been cut.
- Funding for the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program, providing incentives for community based general practices to engage mental health nurses, has been maintained.
- The government will provide $21 million to fund additional allied mental health services for patients under the Better Access initiative, whereby treatment for those with diagnosed mental health problems is partially covered by Medicare.
- New spending of $115m over five years is directed towards better mental health care for veterans.
- From 2014-2015 $9.1m will be provided to the Australian Bureau of Statistics to conduct its Survey of Disability every three years, rather than every six years.
