Butterfly welcomes announcement of $7.5 million investment to establish independent national mental health lived experience peak bodies
Butterfly welcomes the news that The Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon Mark Butler MP, and Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention the Hon Emma McBride MP have announced funding of $7.5 million to establish and operate two independent national mental health lived experience peak bodies.
One peak body will represent people with lived experience and consumers, and the other will represent carers, family, and kin.
Minister Butler said, “These two independent national bodies will amplify the voices of consumers and carers to drive equitable reform in mental health.”
While Assistant Minister McBride added, “This investment puts the voices of people with lived and living experience at the centre of decision making as we work together to create a fairer, improved, system that meets the needs of Australians.”
This announcement is a significant moment in elevating the voices of people with mental ill-health, and their supporters, to drive mental health reform and build an equitable mental health system in Australia.
These two new peaks will ensure that the knowledge, and expertise of people with living and lived experience, and their carers, family, and kin shape the policies and programs that affect them.
Last year, members of Butterfly’s lived experience community had the opportunity to participate in a consultation in Sydney, among hundreds of other lived experience leaders and advocates to discuss the formation of the peak bodies.
Butterfly would like to acknowledge the decade-long efforts and advocacy by consumers, consumer reference groups, carers, family and kin that have come before this moment and have laid the foundations for the establishment of the peak bodies.
We look forward to working collaboratively with the sector and seeing the formation of the peak bodies in the future.
-ENDS-
Media Contacts
Zoe Bradbury, Butterfly
Thom Landers, Associate Director – Edelman
0408 089 181
Editor and producers note: Please include the following support line details in all media coverage of this story and refer to the Mindframe Media guidelines for safe reporting on eating disorders. Please include the following helpline message.
Help and Support
Anyone needing support with eating disorders or body image issues is encouraged to contact:
- Butterfly National Helpline on 1800 33 4673 (1800 ED HOPE) or support@butterfly.org.au
- Eating Disorders Victoria Helpline on 1300 550 23
- For urgent support call Lifeline 13 11 14
