MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES

133 Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite) (17 July 2012). With respect to 2012-13 Budget Paper 4, vol. 3, p. 15—

1. Why was the $2.6 million budgeted for Mental Health Early Intervention Care Facilities in 2011-12 under spent with only $1 million for the estimated result?

2. How was this money spent and what results have been achieved so far?

3. How will health and wellbeing checks for three year olds under the Federal Government's National Mental Health Reform program be administered in South Australia, how many children will be tested and what will be the consequences of tests to children and their families?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts): I am advised:

1. The $2.6 million was budgeted in 2011-12 for the construction of three Crisis Respite Centres in the Adelaide metropolitan area. The estimated result was revised downwards to $1 million due to the delay in locating suitable sites for the three Crisis Respite Centres in that financial year. Any unexpended funding is carried forward into the following financial year.

2. A Service Model of Care has been developed in conjunction with a risk management plan for the project. Stakeholders have been consulted in respect to building design concepts and a project risk manager from the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure has been appointed. To date, two sites have been identified for Crisis Respite Centres. One is located at Salisbury North and the other at Morphett Vale. The risk manager has been appointed to manage the project and the process for engaging an architect has commenced.

3. As part of their 2011-12 budget, the Commonwealth Government announced a measure to expand the existing Medicare Healthy Kids Check to include consideration of emotional wellbeing and development, and to bring forward the check from four year olds to three year olds.

On 30 September 2011, the Commonwealth Minister for Mental Health and Ageing announced the establishment of a national expert group to advise the Commonwealth Government on the content of the Medicare Healthy Kids Check.

The Medicare Healthy Kids Check is a voluntary Commonwealth Government initiative, administered by general practitioners and does not involve SA Health. More information on the initiative may be found on the Commonwealth Department for Health and Ageing website at www.health.gov.au.