BEYOND Blue has welcomed the Commonwealth's investment in digital mental health support options, including its commitment to extend funding for 13 Yarn, Lifeline, Beyond Blue and Kids Helpline.
Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler and Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Emma McBride today announced a $456.7 million 5-year package which included this funding for 13 Yarn, Lifeline, Beyond Blue and Kids Helpline, and a range of other measures.
Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman said: "This commitment to longer-term funding for Beyond Blue and our friends at 13 Yarn, Lifeline, and Kids Helpline is significant. The certainty it gives us, so we can always be there for the community, is immeasurably important, especially at a time when people and communities are doing it really tough with financial, housing, and relationship stress.
"The investment means Beyond Blue will enter into a four-year core funding agreement with the Commonwealth from 2024. We haven't seen an agreement of this length for a long time. It will mean we can continue to deliver our well-known free, national support services, as well as keep evolving – developing, testing and scale a range of digital innovations for the community, in partnership with others in the sector, governments and philanthropy.
"We welcome the government's commitment to pursuing long-term structural reform through sector-led initiatives that reduce fragmentation – it cannot come soon enough. We know there are affordable supports that are ready to scale, and we know community demand is not receding so there is not a moment to lose."
Beyond Blue and Lifeline recently announced a partnership agreement under which the organisations will collaborate and focus on the areas they're best known for – Lifeline on crisis support and suicide prevention, and Beyond Blue on prevention and earlier intervention.
Both organisations remain equipped and available to support all people in Australia, no matter the nature or acuteness of their distress.
Beyond Blue support is available free, 24/7 to all people in Australia, at beyondblue.org.au or on 1300 22 4636.
