Members of the business community have discussed the Crossroads report's findings on mental health reform at a breakfast held yesterday by EY and ReachOut.com by Inspire Foundation. The report shows that Australia will be faced with a $9 billion cost of mental health support and treatment over the next 15 years unless we rethink the mental health system.
 
Keynote speaker Belinda Hutchinson AM, Chancellor of the University of Sydney, called focus to the role of early intervention in ensuring Australia's mental health system remains sustainable.
 
"The Crossroads report highlights that unless we succeed in intervening early and getting the right help to people at the right time, the future cost of mental health services will be unsustainable," said Hutchinson.
 
"The Crossroads report is absolutely critical," she added.
 
Hutchinson also stated the importance of self-help services for students who are experiencing mental health difficulties.
 
“At the University of Sydney we have online self-help resources and face to face support available to the particular needs of our students, however the individual support is only available from 9 to 5,” said Hutchinson.
 
“Many of our students receive vital assistance from the local community mental health teams, together with ReachOut.com which is a very valuable tool providing 24 hour support,” she added.
 
Jonathan Nicholas, CEO of ReachOut.com by Inspire Foundation, emphasised that scalable self-help services are essential in a 21st century mental health system.
 
“We must invest in scalable support services to meet the needs of a growing population,” said Nicholas.
 
Nicholas commended EY and the business community for their support of improving mental health in Australia, noting that system change will require collaboration.
 
“Solutions to meet the mental health challenges faced by the upcoming generation of Australians will have to be driven by a range of partners, from business to community health services,” said Nicholas.
 
View the report – Crossroads: Rethinking the Australian Mental Health System