Productivity Commission inquiry into Mental Health
NCOSS has made a submission to the Productivity Commission inquiry into Mental Health, which presents an important opportunity to look more holistically at the social determinants of mental health and consider how supports and services should respond to complex and intersecting needs. We discuss how federal, state and territory governments must focus efforts on the 'missing middle' to keep people well in the community for longer, particularly through access to non-stigmatising, soft entry points to mental health support, addressing immediate needs such as housing and improving access to affordable services. We also discuss how people must be supported to transition in and out of acute care where it is needed and have access to peer support to feel more empowered and resilient. Finally, we discuss how the sector must be supported to be sustainable if it is to continue delivering vital services to the community.