This report urges the NSW Government to undertake a whole-of-government reform approach to the mental health system, which addresses social and environmental determinants of health including housing, cost of living, transport, education, employment, climate change and impact of natural disasters.

The Committee also emphasises the need for enhanced service and referral pathways and information sharing between State and Commonwealth Government agencies, non-government and community-managed organisations, and private health care services. This would facilitate better access, affordability, and navigation of services, and expand the employment of peer navigators to strengthen service navigation.

The Committee acknowledges that mental health care is chronically underfunded and fragmented, hence immediate action is needed to make sure people can access the care they deserve. The report highlights the need for adequate resourcing of community mental health services and the implementation of several recommendations which will support more people to have choice and autonomy over their mental health care.

Key recommendations:

• That the NSW Government make representations to the Australian Government to address the gaps in funding and workforce for primary care and mental health services, including improved equitability of the Better Access scheme, and incentive schemes equivalent to those for procedural skills to better enable primary care services to support mental health.
• That the NSW Government, in providing grants to non-government organisations for mental health service provision, explore the inclusion of funding for the integration of programs within the sector and collaboration including information sharing with other providers.
• That the NSW Government consider establishing a centre of excellence for research, training, clinical supervision and support, in order to deliver specific evidence-based therapies in trauma-informed care.
• That the NSW Government explore, with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the provision of any information necessary for the timely publication of data on mental health services at a national, State and Territory level, to help coordinate and develop the national mental health workforce.