Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-11-06 Daily Xml

Contents

Mental Health Services

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (15:19): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Health and Wellbeing regarding mental health clients.

Leave granted.

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS: Yesterday, Anglicare retrenched 43 workers, including a number of expertly trained mental health workers employed under the Personal Helpers and Mentors scheme. They were working with mental health clients. This follows a reduction in funding to this program at the same time that people with mental health are finding it very difficult to transition to the NDIS. My questions to the minister are:

1. What conversations has the minister had with Anglicare about these job and service cuts?

2. Further, has the minister appealed to the federal government to reverse funding cuts so that these mental health workers can keep providing services?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:19): I thank the honourable member for her question, but I must admit that I don't know if the information that underlies her question is actually accurate. It is my understanding that it does not relate to the program she refers to. My understanding is that it relates to the transition of the exceptional needs unit, which unit is a team facility, whatever you like to call it, that sits under the responsibility of the Minister for Human Services.