Mental health is key to economic inclusion

Today Mental Health Australia is meeting with the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee to discuss opportunities to improve both mental health and economic inclusion.  

This is a significant opportunity. The Committee provides independent advice to the Australian Government before each federal Budget on how to progress economic inclusion and tackle disadvantage. While to date the Committee has been focused on the social security system, mental health is inherently connected with economic inclusion and addressing disadvantage.

People experiencing mental health challenges, especially those living with psychosocial disability, and their family, carers and kin, face some of the most severe economic and social marginalisation in Australia. 80% of people with complex mental health issues report experiencing employment-related stigma or discrimination.

Our universal safety nets created to ensure no-one is left behind – including income support and employment services – have been failing people with experiences of mental health challenges, by not adequately considering their particular needs.

Further, a large meta-analysis shows that mental ill health is the primary threat to the health, wellbeing and productivity of young people, as they move into adulthood.  

The failure of government policies and systems to provide equitable and effective mental health care to respond to this need, is itself a reflection of the failure to support full social and economic inclusion for all people in Australia.

The enormous costs here are not just personal – they’re also social and economic. While the full impact of mental ill health is unquantifiable, the cost to the economy is conservatively estimated to be $70 billion each year.

Investing effectively in systems that prevent, and support all people experiencing mental health challenges and their family, carers and kin, will pay both social and economic dividends, as we remove barriers to people living full, healthy, meaningful and contributing lives.

Our submission to the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee outlines specific actions to improve support systems to achieve this by:

1. Supercharging investment in mental health services and supports
2. Ensuring social safety nets are mental health responsive
3. Boosting employment for people with mental health challenges
4. Intensifying the focus on child developmental supports and mental health promotion and prevention

By addressing barriers to full social and economic participation for people experiencing mental health challenges and their family, carers and kin, we can uplift the Australian community to achieve greater economic prosperity, social connection and overall community wellbeing.

I want to acknowledge and thank the many Mental Health Australia members who informed this submission and our contribution – we look forward to the Committee’s findings and recommendations.

Carolyn Nikoloski, CEO

Mental Health Australia