Ms SPENCE (Yuroke) (17:20:25) — (13 753) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Mental Health, and the action I seek is that the minister meet with the Yuroke Youth Advisory Council to discuss their work throughout this year raising awareness of mental health issues facing young people in the Yuroke electorate. As the minister knows, I established the Yuroke Youth Advisory Council to give young people in my electorate the opportunity to represent the interests of their peers. This year council members have researched mental health challenges that young people face, the availability of local support services and the importance of awareness campaigns. Recently they held a very successful information stall at the Craigieburn Central shopping centre during Mental Health Week. I am sure that council members would find the opportunity to discuss their work with the minister greatly valuable, and I look forward to hearing from him.

Response:

I thank the Member for Yuroke for their question and I also congratulate them on establishing the Yuroke Youth Advisory Council for the young people of her electorate.

I note the Member’s mention of the successful information stall at the Craigieburn Central shopping centre held by Yuroke Youth Advisory Council during Mental Health Week. This type of initiative, and the broader work of these committed young Victorians, will undoubtedly strengthen the community of Yuroke.

The mental health of young people is a priority for the Andrews Labor Government and I would like to commend these young people of Yuroke, who through their work are making a direct contribution to improving the mental health outcomes of their community.

Following the launch of the 10-year Mental Health Plan for Victoria, the 2016-17 budget saw a state-wide investment of approximately $51.7 million over four years to support the mental health of children. This includes $8.8 million for a new child clinical specialist initiative. This Program aims to improve the leadership and responsiveness in engaging, assessing and treating children (aged 0 to 12 years) with behaviour disorders linked to mental illness, such as conduct disorder and precursors, depression and anxiety, and their families/care givers. This initiative is building the workforce capability and expertise of the specialist child mental health system and developing stronger and sustainable collaborative partnerships between Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Child FIRST, Child Protection, kindergartens and schools.

In addition $34.66 million over four years will expand the child clinical mental health services to provide treatment and care to more children 0 to 12 years of age and $8.41 million over four years was committed to expand the Child and Adolescent Schools Early Action Program (or CASEA). The school-based program delivered by Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services facilitates early identification, assessment, and treatment to Victorian Government school children aged between 5 and 9 years with a severe conduct disorder. The additional funding enables a statewide coverage.

A key factor in the success of all these investments is listening to what young people have to say. This means hearing their views about what is important to them, what they are concerned about in respect of mental health, and how they feel we should shape our mental health services.

It was a pleasure to recently meet with the Yuroke Youth Advisory Council, and I wish them well with their future endeavours.

The Hon Martin Foley MP
Minister for Mental Health