CANBERRA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has announced 1.45 billion Australian dollars (1.04 billion U.S. dollars) in funding for the nation's mental health services.
Minister for Health Greg Hunt said on Wednesday that Australia's 31 Primary Health Networks (PHNs), which coordinate the health services required by specific communities, would benefit from the funding for three years.
The commitment, which covers the period between July 2019 and July 2022, is 170 million Australian dollars (122.3 million U.S. dollars) more than the PHNs received between 2016 and 2019.
According to the Department of Health, 200,000 Australians accessed mental health services through PHNs in 2017-18.
Approximately 20 percent of Australians experience common mental health issues every year and 45 percent will experience mental illness in their lifetime.
"Since individuals in different communities face different challenges, it is important that services are tailored to meet the specific needs of the local population," Hunt told reporters.
"The types of health services needed in metropolitan communities, for example, differ dramatically from those of communities in remote and regional areas."
The government also announced that under the new funding mental health organizations will be guaranteed funding for three years rather than having to re-tender for contracts every year.
Hunt said the change would guarantee long-term security for those organizations as well as peace of mind for patients.
Approximately 43 percent of the funding, or 617 million Australian dollars (444 million U.S. dollars), will be spent on youth mental health services while 399 million Australian dollars (287 million U.S. dollars) will go towards psychological therapy for remote communities.
The government has commissioned an independent report on the success of PHNs, with experts from the University of Melbourne expected to deliver a report in July.
