I am pleased to announce more than $1 million in funding for additional mental health services in north west Tasmania, reaching from Devonport to King Island and along the West Coast.
General Practice North West will manage these mental health services and engage allied health and mental health nursing professionals, such as psychologists, social workers, mental health nurses and Aboriginal health workers, to deliver services in Circular Head, King Island, West Coast, Burnie and Devonport. The services will be delivered mainly through outreach from Burnie.
North coast Tasmania experienced record low rainfall in the 12 months ending March 2007 which, like other largely agricultural communities experiencing drought, is having a significant emotional impact. Today, by announcing new services for the region, we are providing further help to farmers, as well as rural communities under increasing stress from the drought.
This funding is part of the Australian Government's $51.7 million investment in the Mental Health Services in Rural and Remote Areas initiative that will help people living in rural and remote areas get better access to mental health services. It is one component of the Australian Government's $1.9 billion mental health package which I announced in April 2006 as part of the Government's contribution to the Council of Australian Governments' National Action Plan on Mental Health.
Under this program, the Australian Government is providing funds to selected support organisations that have a demonstrated capacity to deliver mental health services in identified geographical areas-of-need. Organisations such as Divisions of General Practice, Aboriginal Medical Services, and the Royal Flying Doctor Service will be funded to provide mental health services, including social workers, psychologists, Aboriginal health care workers, occupational therapists and mental health nurses.
Today's announcement in Tasmania is the first grant to be announced under this program. The Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, Senator Mason will be announcing further grants in high need areas shortly. In the first round of funding, the Government is expecting to provide more than $21 million for areas of high need.