The New South Wales (NSW) government in Australia has formed a coalition with local governments to lead the North Coast Mental Health Plan.
The move involves partnerships with Healthy North Coast, Mid North Coast Local Health District and Northern NSW Local Health District.
Joint local plans for mental health, alcohol and other drugs and suicide prevention enable stakeholders to work together to deliver good outcomes for the community.
The plan aims to address serious mental health issues, substance use and suicide rates in coastal communities.
Additionally, the partnership signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance a unified health systems approach with the goal of improving health outcomes across the North Coast.
The North Coast Mental Health Plan is part of a wider NSW Government effort to improve collaboration within the health sector and minimise bureaucratic barriers for individuals seeking primary care.
According to the government, the initiative aims to provide effective support and recovery options for people living with mental illness in the community.
NSW Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson said: “This partnership will improve access to integrated and affordable mental health, alcohol and other drug and suicide prevention services and will be an effective way to improve help-seeking behaviour in Mid North Coast and North Coast communities.”
“This has long been identified as a challenge across these regions, with services operating independently of one another and multiple entry points creating confusion for both consumers and workers navigating the health system.
“The North Coast Mental Health Plan is a powerful step towards reducing barriers in our community.”
This latest initiative is also in line with the New South Wales Government’s plans to provide personalised mental health care, with a significant investment of A$111.8 million (US$75.2 million) in the 2024-2025 budget.
Monica Wheeler, CEO of Healthy North Coast, said: “We’ve already seen some great outcomes from this partnership, including the joint development of the North Coast Mental Health Plan, which is based on the principles of joint service planning for mental health, suicide prevention and alcohol and other drug issues.”
“NSW forms partnership to deliver North Coast Mental Health Plan” was originally produced and published by Hospital Management, a brand owned by GlobalData.
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