Despite 75 per cent of mental health disorders starting before the age of 25*, the Iemma Government has allocated less than one quarter of its new mental health funds for young people, Shadow Minister for Youth Mike Baird said today.

“This week the Iemma Government said it’s funding $12 million in new mental health services, however it is alarming only $2.6 million is targeted at young people,” Mr Baird said.

“The Iemma Government is obviously unaware that the large majority of mental health illnesses begin in youth and that early intervention is key. As the Medical Journal of Australia recently stated – mental illnesses are the chronic diseases of the young**,” he said.

“Experts say Australian youth is in the grip of a mental health crisis, but is virtually ignored by Federal and State governments and an archaic health system***.

“At least one third of young people have had an episode of mental illness by the age of 25 years**** - so why are these young people so low on the Government’s priority list?

“What’s even more concerning is the reality that mental health difficulties and homelessness go hand in hand – and the situation is getting even worse.”

The NSW Liberal/Nationals Coalition has announced it will hold a summit on Thursday 4 September to ensure action is taken on youth mental health and homelessness. The Shadow Minister for Youth and the Shadow Minister for Mental Health will jointly chair the summit.

“In April we saw the National Youth Commission’s Inquiry into Youth Homelessness release a 10-point roadmap after finding one third of the country’s 100,000 homeless is aged under 25,” Mr Baird said.

“Twenty years have passed since the Burdekin report shocked the nation and yet the problem has only got worse – we can’t let the national inquiry’s new recommendations fall into the ether as the Burdekin report appears to have done.

“It is critically important that experts are brought together to translate the findings into action – headlines are not enough. There’s no point having recommendations unless they are acted upon,” he said.

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