Australia's peak body for psychology congratulates the newly elected Malinauskas Government, urging it to remain focused on delivering its mental health election commitments and make a further commitment to ensuring the psychological workforce needed is made available.
Australian Psychological Society (APS) President and Adelaide psychologist Tamara Cavenett urged the Premier-elect to stay firm on his election promises.
“We look forward to the implementation of Premier Malinauskas' election commitments to psychologists in schools and 89 additional mental health beds.”
“About one in seven school-aged children experience a mental health disorder each year. Schools don’t have the resources and skills to manage this alone, and they need our help. Under the government-elect’s proposal, psychologists will be part of a $50 million pool of workers deployed to public, private and independent primary and high-school students across the state.”
“This is a welcome stepping stone but we can’t afford to stop there and risk losing a generation to mental illness.”
“Prevention and early intervention are the most effective solutions in terms of outcome and cost. The more investment we have in mental health, the less strain we will put on our ambulances and hospitals and the happier and more productive members of society we have.”
Mental health and suicide cost $220 billion a year in Australia with approximately 50 per cent of adult mental illness starting before 14 years of age.
“Making this investment early on to stop things snowballing into adulthood just makes sense.”
While these significant changes are welcome and long overdue, Ms Cavenett urged the government elect to demonstrate leadership on mental health by increasing the psychological workforce, ensuring pay parity and preventing ‘brain drain.’
“South Australia has one of the lowest levels of public sector psychologists in Australia which is completely unacceptable.”
Public sector psychologists in South Australia currently represent 67.6 per 100,000 head of population compared with the national average of 92.3.
“Innovative programs and more mental health beds only work if they have the people to staff them.”
For more information, or to arrange an interview call the APS Media team on 03 8662 3358 / 0435 896 444, or email. Find the APS Media team on Twitter: @AustPsych
The APS is the largest professional organisation for psychologists in Australia, representing more than 27,000 members. The APS is committed to advancing psychology as a discipline and profession. It spreads the message that psychologists make a difference to people’s lives, through improving psychological knowledge and community wellbeing.