Mental health provisions in the 2011-12 budget

Abstract

For health policy analysts who have attempted to follow the way that federal funds are spent on mental health services over the years and the success or otherwise of these investments, this task has become increasingly difficult. The names of programs change along with departmental responsibilities for their delivery and continuing programs are often presented de novo, with the pretence that these represent new funding investments. A classic example this year is the way funding is provided for the flexible care packages. Most egregiously in all these pea and shell games, there is little focus on the evaluation of quality and effectiveness, with measures of activity presented program outcomes.