Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor today announced the NSW Government will invest $19.7 million in the first stage of a three-year, record $90 million commitment to improve mental health services.

Mr Perrottet said this funding comes on top of a record investment of $2.1 billion in mental health services and infrastructure funding in the 2018 Budget, as well as the announcement of a $700 million State Wide Mental Health Infrastructure Program.

“Suicide prevention is everybody’s business, and our vision is that everyone in NSW lives with hope, wellbeing and good health, with far fewer lives lost to suicide. We expect this investment to have the biggest impact on suicide prevention that NSW has ever seen,” Mr Perrottet said.

Mrs Taylor said an additional $23 million will also expand the capacity of Lifeline and Kids Helpline over four years.

“This Budget will support a range of initiatives targeted at providing communities with the most effective tools so they have the strength, resilience and capacity to prevent and respond to members of our community struggling with mental health issues,” Mrs Taylor said.

“The $700 million investment in mental health infrastructure across the State will deliver more specialist beds for children, mothers and their babies and older persons and up to 230 new community-based beds to help people who experience mental illness live independently.

“Increasing the capacity of the mental health workforce also remains a priority for the NSW Government,” Mrs Taylor said.

The NSW Government’s commitment of $9.4 million over four years will hire extra mental health nurses for specialist mental health units and more mental health workers to improve access to psychological help for drought sufferers and victims / survivors of domestic violence in rural and regional areas of NSW.