PRIME Minister John Howard’s $1.8 billion commitment to mental health is good news for people living with a mental illness, St Vincent de Paul Society national chief executive officer Margaret Morton said.
The society has backed Mr Howard’s call for state Labor governments to invest in supported accommodation options for people living with a mental illness.
Mr Howard said both levels of government had a responsibility to improve services for people with a mental illness.
The St Vincent de Paul Society encouraged all state governments to co-operate with the spirit of this initiative by matching the Federal Government’s commitment.
State funding is necessary to provide needs based supported accommodation options that include clinical and community support provisions.
St Vincent de Paul offers a variety of housing options, from hostels for the homeless to self-contained units and shared houses, in tandem with life skills programs that cover social activities, healthy eating, shopping, counselling, and programs specially developed for youth.
