The Federal Government will increase funding to youth mental health service provider Headspace by about 50 per cent next financial year.
One in four young Australians has a mental health issue — something Prime Minister Scott Morrison said needed to be addressed in pledging an extra $52 million to the organisation at an announcement in the Adelaide suburb of Glenelg on Sunday.
"I'm pretty pumped up about it because this is going to make a big difference in young people's lives," Mr Morrison said.
"Headspace isn't just about getting counselling services — it's everything from helping young people getting a job, to supporting their physical activity, to improving their relationships, it's dealing with the whole person.
"Headspace reaches everywhere — it reaches out, they are a pro-active organisation, it's an accessible, connectable symbol."
Mr Morrison said the extra funding would support young people doing it tough in regional and remote areas, however, the funding will not lead to any extra Headspace centres being established.
The funding is one-off for 2019/20.
Headspace helped Ella get back on track
Like many young people around Australia, Ella Symonds struggled to understand why she was not feeling like herself during her final year of high school.
"I was really struggling and I didn't know who to turn to," she said.
"I didn't want to talk to my family because I had family stuff going on and I didn't want to be more of a burden to them.
"It was really hard to be able to articulate one thing wrong when it was actually a lot of things happening that I couldn't quite deal with."
It was her doctor who referred her to Headspace, where she spoke to a psychologist who realised her "problems" could be dealt with.
She credits the organisation with helping her get her life back on track, into university and, hopefully, soon into a job as a social worker.
"I just don't want any young person going through what I did and feel like they are alone," Ms Symonds said.
"Headspace has helped me more than I can really get across, it's such a necessary service and this money means so much to so many people — to all the young people in Australia.
"I think it's going to see some good things happen in the future."
Funding will help ease demand pressure
But as demand for the service has increased in recent years, so too have wait times for support and clinical services.
Of the extra $51.8 million announced today, $12.8 million will go towards an expansion of eheadspace, an online counselling service for young people in regional and remote areas.
The remaining $39 million will go towards improving the existing 107 Headspace centres, reducing waiting times and increasing the amount of clinical services offered.
The Federal Government already contributes $95.7 million to Headspace.
Headspace youth ambassador Samuel King hoped more Headspace centres would be established in regional areas down the track.
"Depression can almost be like a cloud that surrounds you, quite foggy, you can't really see ahead of you," he said.
"The second I go into that centre [Headspace], because there's just so many young people around and everyone's so friendly there, it immediately lifted me.
"It's that first step that's really, really important."
