The Western Australian Government is supporting the state with a $107.6 million investment in mental health support for young children, adults and families, as part of the 2025-26 State Budget.
In the regions, $13.8 million will establish an acute care and response team (ACRT) for Bunbury, comprising a mobile team of mental health experts who can travel to a patient’s home preventing harm and reducing emergency department presentations.
ACRT also provides non-emergency outreach, conducts check-ins, and provides follow-up support to children and adolescents on discharge from the emergency department.
The state government is also committing $4 million towards supporting good mental health in the workplace, through the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Program Support Fund.
As Mining.com.au previously reported, a national study titled Suicide in the Australian Mining Industry: A National Study’ looked into the rates of suicide within the resources sector, which estimates that suicide rates among mining workers is between 11 and 25 per 100,000 — but in reality it is probably closer to 25 per 100,000.
The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) have revealed that nearly one in five people experience a common mental illness within any 12-month period.
Based on figures from the MCA, between 8,000 and 10,000 employees are estimated to experience a mental illness in the New South Wales minerals industry alone. These mental illnesses include anxiety, depression, or substance use.
Premier Roger Cook says Western Australia’s growing population means the government must continue to invest in essential services.
“We’re investing millions of dollars in mental health initiatives throughout the state, including in regional Western Australia, where we are will deliver major alcohol and other drug initiatives,” Cook says.
Another major mental health initiative for regional Western Australia funded in the budget includes $9.9 million to improve service access in the Goldfields region. This will be achieved through transitioning the Kalgoorlie Step Up / Step Down service into a public mental health facility.
The Step Up / Step Down service provides short-term residential mental health support for people who are either becoming unwell and at risk of being admitted to hospital or leaving hospital but are in need of extra support to transition back into the community.
Lifeline: 13 11 14, lifeline.org.au
Headspace: 1800 650 890, headspace.org.au
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 635, beyondblue.org.au
SANE Support line and Forums: 1800 187 263, saneforums.org
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Unsplash
