Why isn’t providing adequate mental health services a no brainer?

Half of all Australians will experience mental ill-health in their lifetime. The prevalence of mental illness in young people is on the rise. The World Health Organization confirms that depression will overtake heart disease as the number one cause of disease burden worldwide by 2030. Yet mental health receives only 2% of the global health care budget, and even in countries like Australia, awareness and rhetoric outstrip funding by miles.

Providing appropriate mental health services for people who need them should be the number one priority in health care, so why is it so hard for people with mental illness to get a fair deal?

British journalist and political aide Alastair Campbell was joined by a panel of experts including Helen Christensen (Black Dog Institute, Director and Chief Scientist), Patrick McGorry (Orygen, Executive Director), Christopher Pyne and chaired by Sarah Dingle to share ideas on what can be done to improve mental health service provisions and outcomes for all Australians.

Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health.

Why isn’t providing adequate mental health services a no brainer? Half of all Australians will experience mental ill-health in their lifetime. The prevalence of mental illness in young people is on the rise. The World Health Organization confirms that depression will overtake heart disease as the number one cause of disease burden worldwide by 2030. Yet mental health receives only 2% of the global health care budget, and even in countries like Australia, awareness and rhetoric outstrip funding by miles. Providing appropriate mental health services for people who need them should be the number one priority in health care, so why is it so hard for people with mental illness to get a fair deal? British journalist and political aide Alastair Campbell was joined by a panel of experts including Helen Christensen (Black Dog Institute, Director and Chief Scientist), Patrick McGorry (Orygen, Executive Director), Christopher Pyne and chaired by Sarah Dingle to share ideas on what can be done to improve mental health service provisions and outcomes for all Australians. Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health.

An initiative of UNSW Sydney, the Centre for Ideas is a thought-provoking program of events and digital content from the globe's leading thinkers, authors and artists.

An initiative of UNSW Sydney, the Centre for Ideas is a thought-provoking program of events and digital content from the globe's leading thinkers, authors and artists.

An initiative of UNSW Sydney, the Centre for Idea…

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Why isn’t providing adequate mental health servic…

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