Tomorrow’s state budget would be targeting the health arena especially the depressed teenagers who are at the verge of committing suicide. The Bracks Government is injecting an extra $70 million into mental health programs.
It has been postulated that Treasurer John Brumby would declare financial support for 95 psychiatric beds all over the state. It would also include assistance for the emergency departments in dealing with mentally unstable patients.
With the Government under fire from the State Opposition for not doing enough to tackle the mental health crisis, particularly among high-risk teenagers, Mr. Brumby will also allocate an extra $10 million for the expansion across Melbourne of the Youth Early Psychosis Program.
Funds would be invested to set up new services through Bayside Health, Austin Health, St Vincent’s Health and Melbourne Health’s northern area mental health service, with about 400 sixteen to 25-year-olds expected to be treated annually.
About $7 million will be spent upgrading computers and other equipment at community-based mental health centers.
The Age revealed on Saturday that a multimillion-dollar program to rebuild or refurbish hundreds of government schools across the state in the next four years will be the centerpiece of Mr Brumby’s seventh budget.
