CEO Update: Coming together to address gaps in psychosocial supports
Our sector is undergoing significant changes including multiple, large-scale reforms in psychosocial supports.
Which is why tomorrow we’re establishing a Mental Health Australia Members Psychosocial Network to create a platform for member input to our policy and advocacy positions in this area, and to facilitate collective advocacy on addressing the gap in psychosocial supports outside the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
As the Analysis of Unmet Need for Psychosocial Supports Outside of the NDIS – Final Report highlighted, 493,600 people in our community need psychosocial supports but don’t have access.
It is plain that the mental health sector is eager to work with governments to urgently address this gap. Mental Health Australia and our members support comprehensive, long-term reform, which truly turns the tide on unmet psychosocial need.
Additionally, late last year National Cabinet agreed to jointly design and commission Foundational Supports outside the NDIS, which the NDIS Review recommended should include psychosocial supports. The Australian Government’s consultation process on the design of these Foundational Supports has now opened and we would encourage your contributions.
There are also significant reforms underway through the NDIS for participants with psychosocial disability. We note the recent changes introduced by the passing of the NDIS Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024. Effective from October 3rd, these changes introduce a new definition of NDIS Supports and mean that NDIS plans will now show a total budget rather than line-by-line supports.
We understand the National Disability Insurance Agency is actively considering the design of a NDIS psychosocial early intervention approach recommended in the NDIS Review, alongside other reforms aimed at improving the recovery-oriented approach within the Scheme. Our Members Psychosocial Network will contribute to Mental Health Australia’s input to these changes.
The reforms underway are numerous, complex, and intersecting – and come with significant opportunity for us to influence both their design and implementation. It has never been more important for us to come together to collaborate to provide clear, unified advice to governments, focusing on those actions that will most improve the lives of people with lived experience of mental ill-health, and their family, carers and supporters.
Thank you to those who have already signed up to the Mental Health Australia Members Psychosocial Network. I look forward to our first meeting tomorrow, and to working collaboratively with members to continue to influence reform in psychosocial supports – as well as many other areas. As our recent advocacy efforts have shown, we’re stronger together.
Carolyn Nikoloski
CEO, Mental Health Australia | 
