- The Crisafulli Government is delivering on another key election commitment, with new youth residential mental health service set to be delivered in Berserker.
- It's one of two Step Up Step Down facilities being delivered through a $50 million investment, joining the other confirmed site in Townsville, to bridge the gap between community-based support and hospital treatment.
- The Crisafulli Government is investing every cent of the Mental Health Levy on new and improved mental health care after a decade of decline under Labor.
- The Crisafulli Government is delivering health services when you need them and healing Labor's Health Crisis.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering on another key election commitment and delivering easier access to specialist mental health care for young people in Central Queensland, progressing plans for Rockhampton's new Youth Step Up Step Down service. The new six-bed residential facility in Berserker, which is funded through the Mental Health Levy, will provide 24/7 sub-acute mental health care for young people aged 16 to 21, helping bridge the gap between community-based support and hospital treatment.
It's just one of the ways the Crisafulli Government is delivering easier access to health services after a decade of decline under Labor.
The Crisafulli Government is diagnosing, treating and curing Labor's Health Crisis after 10 years of decline in which underfunding, under-resourcing and under-delivering left Queenslanders with a health system in crisis.
Young people will receive recovery-focused mental health support for stays of up to 28 days in a safe, home-like environment designed to help prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and support smoother transitions back into the community following inpatient treatment. The facility is part of the Crisafulli Government's $50 million investment in two new Youth Step Up Step Down facilities, with another facility already in planning and development stages in Townsville. The Rockhampton service will combine clinical care delivered by Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service with non-clinical recovery support provided by a non-government organisation.
The new facility builds on a range of initiatives the Crisafulli Government is delivering to strengthen Queensland's mental health system including an additional $350 million from the Mental Health Levy for specialist clinicians in emergency departments, 30 new perinatal mental health beds and more alcohol and other drug residential rehabilitation beds. The announcement of Rockhampton's new Step Up Step Down site at Berserker comes after a scathing Queensland Audit Office report found the former Labor Government failed to establish effective governance arrangements for the Mental Health Levy.
This resulted in initiatives being significantly delayed, projects being announced without funding allocated, and levy funding being directed to initiatives outside its intended scope. Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said the Crisafulli Government was committed to restoring integrity and accountability to Mental Health Levy funding by ensuring investment is directed to programs that deliver outcomes for Queenslanders.
"Unlike Labor, which failed to establish proper governance and oversight of the levy, the Crisafulli Government is ensuring funding is directed to programs that deliver measurable outcomes for Queenslanders," Minister Nicholls said. Member for Rockhampton Donna Kirkland said the Crisafulli Government was delivering easier access to health services across Central Queensland. "This is a facility that stakeholders across Central Queensland have been calling for - for more than 20 years, and now young people will be able to receive specialist care closer to home in a supportive environment designed to help them recover and thrive," Mrs Kirkland said. Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service Chief Executive Lisa Blackler said the new service would play an important role in supporting young people and their families. "Strong connections with families, carers and community supports are central to helping young people build confidence and maintain wellbeing beyond their stay," Ms Blackler said.
The confirmation of the Rockhampton Step Up Step Down location comes as the Crisafulli Government confirms the appointment of Bretine Curtis as Acting Queensland Mental Health Commissioner.
Ms Curtis, Executive Director of the Queensland Mental Health Commission, will act in the role until the end of the year, with a formal search for a new Commissioner underway.
She takes over from long-serving Commissioner Ivan Frkovic, who since his appointment in 2017 has led Queensland's mental health, alcohol and other drug, and suicide prevention system reform.
"Under Mr Frkovic's leadership, the Queensland Mental Health Commission has implemented system reform, including cross-sector development and whole-of-government strategic plans, acknowledging that mental wellbeing is not achieved in isolation," Minister Nicholls said.
