Page 2856 - Week 10 - Thursday, 7 October 2021
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and normalise, conversations about mental health, the more people will feel comfortable to speak up and ask for the support they need to be safe and healthy.
The more we are kind and show care and understanding to one another, the more we create a better environment for all of us to speak with honesty and self-compassion about what we are experiencing and when we need help. This week 31 years ago, a friend gave me a hug at the end of the first day back at school after spring holidays. Two days later, on 10 October, I found out he was saying goodbye, not just goodnight. And so, every year since, I have taken some time during this week, to think about the ways in which I can better support friends and family and make their day a little bit easier. Everything we do that shows care and kindness to those around us, no matter how big or small, makes a difference.
Building on the work of Minister Rattenbury, the previous Minister for Mental Health, the heart of what we aim to achieve for the ACT is captured in the vision of the Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing: a kind, connected and informed community working together to promote and protect the mental health and wellbeing of all. The ACT government’s approach to supporting and improving mental health is grounded in the recognition that mental health is more than just clinical services. While these services are critical, we must also invest in a range of activities that can provide holistic support for people. This is why I am so pleased that, since the last budget, in February 2021, the ACT government has committed more than $14 million for mental health, alcohol and other drug services and primary health care across the city, to support the wellbeing needs of Canberrans during lockdown. This funding includes an immediate $3.6 million in funding to be provided to a range of community services in the ACT, with another $10.3 million to be delivered as part of the 2021-22 ACT government budget.
Organisations who received additional funding for the delivery of mental health services in announcements during August and September 2021 include the ACT Disability, Aged and Carer Advocacy Service, ADACAS; Advocacy for Inclusion; Gugan Gulwan; Yeddung Mura; Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service; Menslink; OzHelp; Mental Illness Education ACT, MIEACT; Woden Community Services, including the Way Back Support Service; Parentline; CatholicCare and Marymead; Lifeline; Eating Disorders Families Australia (ACT); Multicultural Hub Canberra; A Gender Agenda; Perinatal Wellbeing Centre; CARE Financial Counselling; Meridian; and Carers ACT.
I would like to thank our community partners, who are providing outstanding support to Canberrans during this public health crisis, building resilience and connectedness across our city. We have also secured an additional investment of $2.5 million from the commonwealth to strengthen existing mental health and wellbeing services. This is a key demonstration of the bipartisan commitment to supporting mental health at a local and national level.
There are important national discussions that I would also like to highlight today. All states and territories are currently working together with the commonwealth government to develop a multilateral national mental health and suicide prevention agreement. Simultaneously, states and territories are also working with the
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