MEDIA RELEASE

Report Tabled

INQUIRY INTO YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH IN THE ACT

The Standing Committee on Education, Employment and Youth Affairs today tabled in the ACT Legislative Assembly the report from its Inquiry into Youth Mental Health in the ACT.

The Report made 66 recommendations across three chapters:

1. Systems and Support;
2. Comorbidities and Complexity; and
3. Environments and Early Intervention.

The Report highlights the importance of promotion, prevention and early intervention programs for youth mental health. The Chair of the Committee, Mr Michael Pettersson MLA, said, “to address the growing problem of youth mental illness it is important that the ACT Government response is evidence-based and thoroughly resourced.”

The Committee acknowledges the Office of Mental Health and Wellbeing’s forward program of work arising from the Children and Young People Review and encourages the ACT Government to ensure children and young people and their families and carers are actively engaged in any reforms generated from this Inquiry.

The Committee emphasised the value of hearing directly from young people suffering mental health challenges and their families and carers throughout the Inquiry. Committee Chair, Mr Michael Pettersson MLA, said, “the Committee would like to thank the many Canberrans who shared their personal stories with the Committee for this important Inquiry.”

In addition, the Committee recognises the difficult period in which this Inquiry took place and thanks the organisations who made time to either produce a submission or appear at a public hearing, or both, particularly considering increased demand on services due to COVID-19.

The Report can be accessed at: Inquiry into youth mental health in the act

For more information contact:

Committee Chair, Mr Michael Pettersson MLA on (02) 6205 1436

Committee Secretary, Ms Sarah McFadden on (02) 6207 0524 or by email at LACommitteeEEYA@parliament.act.gov.au.