NSW health-led crisis response announcement leaves questions unanswered

The NSW Government has announced a new system for responding to mental health call-outs.  Under the model, people experiencing mental health distress who call 000 could be assessed and supported by one of eight dedicated mental health teams, and connected to support and services through a virtual hub. 

The Government has committed $270 million over ten years, funding a 24/7 Virtual Mental Health Hub and new Mental Health Acute Assessment Teams operating 12 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Today’s announcement follows years of advocacy from people who have lost loved ones, people with lived experience of the mental health care system, and wider sector support who have stood beside them. 

We welcome a commitment to meet people with care over force, but there are still many questions to be answered by the NSW Government. The Alternative First Responders campaign is calling for more critical detail to be provided. 

The funding amount falls short of what’s needed to have genuine alternatives over the next ten years. The campaign welcomes the 24/7 Virtual Mental Health Hub as a vital resource, but as the only round-the-clock support service, it leaves the response incomplete. 

We are seeking clarity on where and when the new Mental Health Acute Assessment Teams will operate.  

• When will the service operate? There will be twelve hours a day unaccounted for, which still misses critical windows for an alternative first response.  

• Where will the response teams operate? Greater investment is needed in regions and communities with limited or no existing supports, especially remote and regional areas. 

• Where does community come into this model? Community and peers are critical to providing safe care. 

• What is the commitment to ensuring culturally-safe care and working with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and other key community-led health services?  

The Alternative First Responders campaign, backed by over 40 coalition members, has called for community-led responses that prioritise cultural safety, harm minimisation and investment in the localised needs of areas. The inclusion of peer support and lived experience remains critical. 

 

Alternative First Responders Project Lead, Chloe Fragos, said:  

“Ultimately this is about keeping people experiencing mental health distress safe and as a campaign and sector we have called for genuine alternatives and there are still many questions to be answered from this announcement.  

The Alternative First Responders campaign, which includes more than 40 coalition partners nationwide, is advocating for investment in alternative crisis response systems that prioritise dignity, safety and care over police force.