Australian Government Country Resources Mental Health Strategies and Plans Australia Policy document

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Description

The Plan
The mental health and wellbeing response to the pandemic has three core objectives, being to:
 meet the mental health and wellbeing needs of all Australians to reduce negative impacts of the pandemic in the short and long-term;
 outline core principles and priority areas to inform jurisdictions as they respond to the
challenges of COVID-19, including as restrictions ease, to balance national consistency with
flexibility for locally-appropriate community-based responses and solutions and ensuring that
any risks posed by relaxation of restrictions are assessed and responded to; and
 define governance, coordination and implementation requirements including data collection and sharing across jurisdictions to facilitate informed planning and decision making.
An effective pandemic mental health and wellbeing response requires the adoption of change and a commitment of resources by all jurisdictions. Mental health is a Council of Australian Governments priority. On 1 November 2019, federal, state and territory health ministers (COAG Health Council) agreed to work in partnership to address the nationally critical issue of mental health. This plan does not pre-empt that work, but rather sets out a direction to help us navigate through this pandemic with the mental health of Australians intact, and with specific service responses for people who need them.

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