Australian voters want more discussion about the mental health crisis a new poll has highlighted.
A Oryhen commissioned poll found 80 per cent of voters believed mental health should be a key priority for the next federal with one in five said mental health was one of their top two election issues The Age reports.
Only one third of voters in Australia believed access to mental health treatment for young people was good The Age reports.
This is contrast to the poll finding 73 per cent and 60 per cent of respondents respectively felt access to GPs and dental care was good.
Orygen executive director Professor Patrick McGorry says there must be a renewed focus on community-based services to treat more severe mental illnesses such as psychosis and eating disorders in young people.
‘‘Otherwise, we’re going to continue to see young people flood into emergency departments in very desperate situations in large numbers” Professor McGorry said.
Professor McGorry is also calling for more resources to be directed towards the ‘missing middle’ those who face barriers to accessing treatments because they are not sick enough to qualify for state-funded crisis mental health services and the costs of alternatives are too high.
To find out more about how Flourish Australia supports people with lived experience check out https://www.flourishaustralia.org.au/about/our-services/what-we-offer or give us a call on 1300 779 270
