Budget 2003:Comments on Mental Disability

 Catholic Health Australia response to the budget 2003 on mental illness is ‘mental health is  
 National Health Priority, not that you know of it from the budget. Depression, dementia, psychoses 
 and other mental illnesses remain sources of huge disability burden and health system 
 costs, although excellent strategies are available for preventing and treating these illnessesto 
 improve health outcomes.CHA recommended that $250m be quarantined in 2002-03 for a third 
 Mental Health Plan and for increased dementia services, in recognition of the rise in incidence. 
There was an excellent opportunity this budget to embark on a comprehensive   plan for mental health over the next decade-it was missed. The danger will be that mental health will continue to remain a third order priority when the Commonwealth and States renegotiate the Australian Health 
Care Agreements. This issue requires national leadership.’

Melville Miranda 
Victoria

16-5-03