The House Select Committee on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention was established in December 2020, launching its inquiry into Mental and Suicide Prevention on 24 February 2021.
The interim report from this inquiry was released on 15 April, with the final report due to be handed down on 1 November 2021.
The APS provided a submission to this inquiry in March. In it we support the Federal Government’s leadership in the critical area of mental health reform and addressed five terms of reference, providing recommendations to ensure transformational change.
The Interim Report covers emerging themes from the inquiry so far, including related to the mental health service workforce, coordination and funding of services, accessibility and affordability, early intervention, and stigma.
The APS welcomes consideration of the key role that psychological science plays, including the understanding the impact of trauma, loss and grief on mental health, in enabling effective and economically viable assessment and treatment services.
We look forward to seeing a greater focus on the role of psychological science in the final report.