More than 260 additional mental health workers, strengthened community care and upgrades to mental health infrastructure are set to be delivered by a record NSW Government spend on mental health in the State Budget.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Mental Health Tanya Davies today announced an increase of $82.5 million in the 2018-19 mental health Budget bringing it to $2 billion, to ensure critical mental health services reach those in need.

The budget also includes an additional $700 million to begin a statewide Mental Health Infrastructure Program.

“This is the biggest single investment in mental health infrastructure in Australia’s history and reaffirms the NSW Government’s commitment to improving frontline services for vulnerable members of the community.” Mr Perrottet said.

Mrs Davies said the state wide Mental Health Infrastructure Program will allow planning to begin for more contemporary mental health facilities across the state.

“We are in the midst of a 10-year reform of how mental health care is delivered,” Mrs Davies said.

“This Budget will support much needed upgrades to some of our most outdated facilities and Safe Assessment Rooms across the State, while also allowing planning to begin on a number of new specialist mental health units,” Mrs Davies said.

Key initiatives of the $2 billion mental health budget for 2018-19 include:

• $100 million per annum over four years to strengthen early intervention and specialist community mental health teams, enhance psychosocial supports, and transition long-stay patients into the community
• $39.4 million to deliver an additional 1,400 mental health admissions in addition to the 37,500 currently provided
• $42 million for additional community based mental health services and supports

Key initiatives of the $700 million Mental Health Infrastructure Program:

• $20 million in 2018-19 to improve therapeutic environments and commence planning for a number of key infrastructure projects including;
• New specialist mental health units including 6-10 beds for children and adolescents, 20 beds for older persons, 20 medium secure beds, and 6-12 beds for mothers and their babies
• Up to 260 new ‘step-up step-down’ community-based beds to support the transition of long stay mental health patients from hospital and the recovery of consumers in the community
• Additional beds for the forensic mental health network
• Physical upgrades or refurbishments of existing acute mental health units.