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National mental health peak body Mental Health Australia was reassured by today’s confirmation that people with psychosocial disability will remain a part of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Additionally, it welcomed the recognition that psychosocial supports outside the NDIS remain a top priority for the Commonwealth Government, who are keen to see States and Territories come to the negotiating table as part of the next National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement. However, it expressed deep concern that an estimated 160,000 people may be removed from the Scheme through upcoming changes to eligibility. This is particularly alarming without first having appropriate alternative supports in place, and sits against a backdrop of ongoing, unmet psychosocial support needs, where nearly 500,000 people already cannot access the psychosocial supports they need outside the NDIS. Its comments come in response to today’s Press Club Address by The Hon. Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health, Disability, Ageing and the NDIS, where he outlined reforms aimed at improving the Scheme’s sustainability and integrity.Mental Health Australia CEO Carolyn Nikoloski said addressing gaps in mental health support outside the NDIS must now be a priority for governments, along with the need for careful, considered design of the NDIS access changes. “It’s absolutely critical that the approach to implement the changes to the NDIS is done in partnership with people with lived experience of psychosocial disability, their families, carers and kin – and the mental health and disability support sector,” she said. “People with psychosocial disability have specific needs which must be considered from the outset to ensure the approach to reform is inclusive, and that they are not disproportionately impacted.”“If we don’t get this right, we risk excluding people with genuine and significant support needs. That would undermine both fairness and equity in the NDIS.”Ms Nikoloski said it was reassuring to receive confirmation that psychosocial disability remains within scope of the NDIS, providing some much-needed assurance to the 66 000 people with psychosocial disability who rely on this scheme for support every day. “Our focus now will be ensuring that the way these changes are designed and implemented does not have the unintended consequence of disproportionately impacting people with psychosocial disability, who already find it much harder to access the NDIS, or their families and carers, who are often left to fill gaps in the system.” “In particular, the design of the access changes flagged by Minister Butler will need to be informed by and validated with people with psychosocial disability and should be delivered by professionals with psychosocial expertise.”Mental Health Australia also acknowledged the significant fiscal pressures and community expectations facing the NDIS and recognised the Government’s clear choice to prioritise the Scheme’s long-term integrity in today’s announcement.“Certainly, difficult choices have been made by the Government in the context of a challenging fiscal environment and their own agreement with States and Territories to limit NDIS growth to 5-6 per cent annually,” said Ms Nikoloski.With legislation set to be introduced into Parliament on the same day as the Federal Budget, Mental Health Australia called on the Government to work closely with people with disability, families, carers and kin and the mental health and disability support sectors on design and implementation.Mental Health Australia said it will continue to work closely with its members to assess the impact of the announced changes on communities and the sector. -ENDS- Media contact:Caroline Illingworth, Mental Health Australia Senior Communications Manager – 0417037595.Emma Greeney, Mental Health Australia Director of Policy and Advocacy – 0437891671.mentalhealthaustralia.org.au

National mental health peak body Mental Health Australia welcomes the focus on mental health priorities, including vital psychosocial supports, in Friday’s Joint Health and Mental Health Ministers’ Meeting Communique, but says governments must move faster to deliver real change on overdue supports. Mental Health Australia CEO Carolyn Nikoloski said: “It’s positive to see ministers recognising the strong calls from the sector and from people with lived experience to improve access to psychosocial supports. But people, families and communities have already been waiting a long time for national reform, and governments now need to get on with the job and move the needle on this crucial issue.” Around 500,000 people in Australia are missing out on essential psychosocial supports that help people live well in the community and reduce pressure on hospital-based supports. Mental Health Australia released a Renewed Statement on Addressing Unmet Need for Psychosocial Support Outside the NDIS in October 2025, calling for stronger investment in community settings so people can access the right care, in the right place, at the right time. The Productivity Commission’s recent review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement also called for immediate action on psychosocial supports. The Communique also noted the prioritisation of a new National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement, with ministers beginning to consider scope, timeframes, and roles and responsibilities between governments. Notably, the development of a National Mental Health Declaration, a core recommendation of the Productivity Commission, was not progressed, with the Communique indicating that Ministers will instead focus on the development of the National Agreement directly. Ministers thanked sector leaders, people with lived experience, family, carers and kin representatives, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partners for their early advice on preparing for future national arrangements. Ms Nikoloski said it was crucial that people with lived experience and sector representatives continue to have a strong voice in shaping reforms. “We want governments to keep meaningfully involving people with lived experience, family, carers and kin, as well as sector representatives, in shaping the reforms. Their insights are essential to building a system that works for everyone.” The Communique also highlighted several other themes, including: • The continued impact of recent natural disasters and the events at Bondi Beach on people’s mental health. • National coordination – Ministers have commissioned further work to improve national consistency, including supports for people living with more severe mental health challenges. • NDIS interface – Ministers recognised concerns raised by states and territories about declining approvals for psychosocial disability packages within the NDIS and the impact this is having on people seeking ongoing supports. • Child and youth mental health – Ministers noted significant efforts across all jurisdictions to improve policy and programs for children, but noted the need for sustained work to improve the mental health of children and young people. • Crossjurisdictional consistency – Ministers agreed to progress mutual recognition of mental health orders by 1 January 2027 and to transition from the 2010 National Standards for Mental Health Services to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care service standards. Mental Health Australia said it will continue to work closely with its members following Friday’s meeting to ensure that progress on the new National Agreement is in line with community and sector needs. Ms Nikoloski said: “We are ready to work with governments and our colleagues across the sector to turn these words into practical action. The Australian community cannot afford further delays to the reforms they have been promised.” “We will continue to advocate for a system that supports people experiencing mental health challenges to live well, participate in their communities and access the help they need when they need it.” -ENDS- Media contact: Caroline Illingworth, Mental Health Australia Senior Communications Manager – 0417037595. mentalhealthaustralia.org.au