The Age
February 10, 2006 - 9:10AM

Money must start flowing immediately if government pledges to tackle Australia's mental health crisis are to have any effect, doctors say.

Mental illness money 'must flow now'

The Age
February 10, 2006 - 9:10AM

Money must start flowing immediately if government pledges to tackle Australia's mental health crisis are to have any effect, doctors say.

Prime Minister John Howard and state premiers emerged from the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting with a promise to reform the nation's health system with a $1.1 billion funding boost.

They also promised to address the looming crisis in mental health after years of neglect.

A mental health action plan to be delivered by mid-year will tackle improved care and support for the mentally ill with a focus on promotion, prevention and early detection.

It will also look at links between mental illness and marijuana and amphetamine use.

But the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and drug counsellors warned the money must start flowing immediately.

"If the money does not flow to match the rhetoric that has come out so far, then there'll be significant consequences for the governments," AMA president Mukesh Haikerwal said.

"The care of (mentally ill) people is really tragic in the community.

"The ongoing care is not there, that's when they fall into a hole, that's when suicide increases and that's when mental health becomes a significant problem.

"They say they're going to put more money into the system, well they must ... and we need action now."

Mr Howard blamed marijuana and amphetamines abuse for some mental health issues.

"I think at least a generation of Australians were too passive about the consequences of illicit drug use," he said.

Drug counselling service Odyssey House accused state and federal leaders of missing the point by pushing for a tougher line on marijuana as part of mental health reform.

Chief executive David Crosbie said it was important to take a holistic approach.

"Most of our clients with major drug problems also have major mental health problems and are dealing with homelessness and unemployment," Mr Crosbie said.

"The system lacks innovation and it lacks responsiveness to real people and real people's problems."

Mr Howard said mental health had become such a focus because of problems that have developed over the decades.

One factor was the policy of closing large mental health institutions and placing patients back in the community.

"I think we made big mistakes in the 1960s when we ... thought the solution was to close the institutions," Mr Howard said.

"I don't think we provided an adequate bridge between the institutionalisation of the past and the realities of people being out of institutions."

Labor said it had taken too long for the federal government to commit to tackling the problem.

"Certainly there are issues in relation to mental health and in relation to marijuana and it's about time that after 10 long years this government got down to doing something about it," Opposition Leader Kim Beazley said.