The Mental Health Council of Tasmania (MHCT) has launched their ‘A Tasmanian State of Mind’ election campaign, designed to build a mentally healthy future for all Tasmanians.
The campaign is built on four key pillars, to:
- Deliver mental wellbeing education
- Build our community capacity
- Provide access to centralised, seamless referrals and navigation
- Build a nation leading mental health workforce
The campaign comes following 18 months of consultations that MHCT facilitated with its members, stakeholders, and communities across Tasmania. Through these consultations, MHCT heard about the impacts that the COVID pandemic has had on Tasmanians and the state’s mental health sector, and the current barriers to accessing timely, effective mental health support. In response, ‘A Tasmanian State of Mind’ emphasises a preventative approach that supports people to maintain their mental wellbeing and build their resilience before they become increasingly unwell.
MHCT CEO, Connie Digolis, said, “The last 12 months have been tough for us all. We know that many Tasmanians are experiencing situational distress as a result of the pandemic. If these issues are left unchecked, over the long term they will get worse and potentially lead to varying levels of mental ill-health.”
Digolis said that a preventative approach to mental health and wellbeing must be prioritised, to ensure Tasmanians are given the best opportunity to recover, and live healthy, happy, productive lives.
“It’s imperative that we act now by investing in a wellbeing approach, which provides all Tasmanians with the tools and supports they need to look after their own mental health.
This isn’t just a short-term solution– ‘A Tasmanian State of Mind’ will create a lasting legacy, ensuring our future generations have the best possible opportunity to thrive.”
Throughout consultations, MHCT heard that service providers across the state are at capacity. By building a system that empowers communities and individuals to support their mental wellbeing, our mental services will have better capacity to respond to those that require additional support, when and where they need it.
“We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to build something great: a world class mental health system in our state that supports all Tasmanian’s now, and for generations to come. We are calling on all political leaders to prioritise mental health and demonstrate their commitment to the wellbeing of all Tasmanians by adopting ‘A Tasmanian State of Mind’.”
MHCT’s ‘A Tasmanian State of Mind’ information sheet and Budget Priority Submission provide greater detail on the current challenges, and solutions to growing demand.
