Campaign targets neglect of Aussies' mental health
Richard Schweizer considers himself lucky.
The mental health policy worker, who lives with schizophrenia, depression and anxiety, has had access to wraparound services and a loving family for more than two decades.
But that's not the case for an estimated 230,500 Australians with high-need mental health challenges who are not getting access to the community support programs.
The gap increases to one million people when family carers are counted.
Quick access to treatments through private health insurance and housing, financial and emotional support from his parents helped the mental health academic, but the experience dealing with his anxiety was an eye-opener.
"Firstly, how good the support was at the (private) clinic I attended, but also how frightening it is that if I had not had private health insurance and had to go into the public system," Dr Schweizer told AAP.
"The public system is broken. (It) does not provide the supports needed for people with severe and complex mental illness."
The 44-year-old fears he would have fallen through the cracks and onto the streets, had he not had access to his supports.
"This happens far too often, so I'm very lucky," Dr Schweizer said.
Launching a campaign to bring political leaders' attention to the issue on Thursday, non-profit Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia warns of the "glaring gap" in mental health supports.
People with schizophrenia may experience a 19-year reduction in life expectancy.
The organisation said leaders were neglecting people with severe mental health challenges who can't find help for daily living skills, housing support and employment opportunities.
Politicians had acknowledged the issue was a shared responsibility across federal and state levels since 2019, chief executive Tony Stevenson said.
But they haven't agreed to a plan to fund services or commission them in local communities.
"Ultimately, people living with severe, complex mental illness, and their families are the ones paying the price for this neglect," he said.
Mr Stevenson said adequate supports cost about $6000 per person annually - far cheaper than the cost of first responders, a hospital bed or homelessness.
He is calling on the nation's health ministers to agree to a co-funding arrangement and commit to closing the community support gap by 2030 when they meet in June.
NSW has invested $83 million into psychosocial support and housing to help people recover in the community, while Victoria's budget on Tuesday allocated more than $300 million for hospital inpatient and in-home mental health beds.
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