Commonwealth Reform & Funding

07 Dec 2023

NDIS Review & National Cabinet: WAAMH welcomes announcements on foundational supports and seeks WA psychosocial investment plan

The Western Australian Association for Mental Health welcomes National Cabinet’s announcement yesterday to invest in foundational supports for people with disability who are not eligible for the NDIS and the call for further reforms outlined in the final NDIS review report released today.

17 Nov 2023

Response to the Australian Government Issues Paper A stronger, more diverse and independent community sector

WAAMH advocates for innovative funding and commissioning models to foster a more robust, diverse, and independent community sector. WAAMH responded to the Department of Social Services' issues paper, 'A stronger, more diverse and independent community sector', by proposing a range of best-practice models that can be applied across grant funding, contracting, and procurement processes.

25 Aug 2023

Going the distance: Making mental health support work better for regional communities

Despite their resilience and strength, regional communities in WA are experiencing great need for better mental health support. Inadequate services, insufficient funding and difficulty in accessing support need to be urgently addressed.

24 Mar 2023

Connections between employment and mental health with the Workforce Australia employment System

A submission to the Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services. This submission focuses on the needs and experiences of people with mental health issues in relation to employment and their access to and outcomes from the Workforce Australia employment system. WAAMH highlights the IPS model as a successful approach to support people with mental health issues into employment.

06 Oct 2021

WAAMH Submission: Development of the National Mental Health Workforce Strategy

The National Mental Health Workforce Strategy Taskforce is developing a strategy that will consider the quality, supply, distribution, and structure of Australia’s mental health workforce. Read WAAMH's submission to the consultation process for the Development of the National Mental Health Workforce Strategy here.

09 Aug 2021

WAAMH Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs Inquiry: Disability Support Pension

Submission regarding the purpose, intent and adequacy of the Disability Support Pension. We know income is a key social determinant of health; low income and poverty are associated with poor mental health outcomes. Current income support policies and practices have resulted in significant damage to the mental health of many income support recipients, including people receiving the DSP. WAAMH suggests the following: • Remove the punitive conditionality and compliance responsibilities attached to income support payments, including the DSP. • Relax eligibility requirements for the DSP to ensure a closer link between access to the DSP and being unable to long term work in the labor market due to having a psychosocial disability and significant mental health condition. • Consideration should be given to the needs of First Nations DSP applicants, and for other diversity groups. • Increase the amount of the DSP payment. • Improve employment support offered to people receiving the DSP, through a successful evidence-based program such as the Individual Placement and Support program.

12 May 2021

Federal Budget 2021 - what does it mean for mental health?

We welcome the Federal Government’s focus on mental health in the Federal budget but remain concerned that community supports - also known as psychosocial supports - received little investment or focus, despite being the most under-resourced part of the mental health system.

18 Nov 2020

Productivity Commission Mental Health Inquiry Report welcomed, with prevention and community support featuring strongly

The WA Association for Mental Health welcomes the release of the long-awaited Productivity Commission Mental Health Inquiry Report. The report contains 22 recommended reforms encompassing approximately 100 actions, across a wide range of mental health services and supports. WAAMH is pleased to note a strong focus on prevention and community supports, integration of mental health services, and the social determinants of health in its initial reading of Volume 1 of the report.

07 Feb 2020

WAAMH Submission: Response to Productivity Commission Draft Report

In November 2019, WAAMH spoke at the Perth hearing for the Productivity Commission, unpacking their Draft Report into Mental Health. Our presentation resulted in requests for two additional meetings with the Productivity Commissioners who sought to understand our perspective on governance and commissioning reform, and the need for the PC to truly embrace a consumer and family perspective into their work, as well as IPS. Our latest submission unpacks the strengths and weaknesses of the Draft Report, arguing for major reform. Balancing the system to adequate investment in prevention, social determinants and psychosocial and community support is urgently needed to improve mental health outcomes. Sound, robust and strategic governance, commissioning and lived experience leadership, and policy implementation will be required to address the increasing social and economic burden of mental health and suicide on the nation. The submission aims to inform the final report and recommendations due for release in May 2020.

17 Apr 2019

WAAMH Submission: Productivity Commission Inquiry

WAAMH's Submission to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into the 'Social and Economic Benefits of Improving Mental Health'. This submission is based on a range of resources, including academic research; existing WAAMH papers and submissions; existing WAAMH consultation findings; and, feedback and insights from wide consultation with people in the mental health, alcohol and other drug (AOD) and other relevant sectors, including people with lived experience, families and carers.