Dead ends and closed doors. People falling between the cracks. This language used in recent reviews of mental health systems in Australia denotes systems in crisis.
In the lives of individuals, systemic failures can be frustrating, confusing and catastrophic. Experts have been warning for some time that the next pandemic will be the mental health pandemic, and that the system as it stands is not up to the job.
We would like to hear from you about your interactions with the mental health system in Australia. Have you encountered significant barriers to getting the help you, or someone close to you, needed? Do you feel the pathway to help is clear and easy to follow? Are you a parent dealing with a confusing range of advice for a child in need?
Also, we’d like to hear from frontline workers in the system. Are you a GP who has noticed a discernible change in the number or type of presentations around mental ill-health following the pandemic? Do you work in mental health and have ideas about what is needed to make the system stronger?
These are difficult subjects involving suffering. As far as possible please keep the responses to accounts of interactions with the system – some of them will be published with your permission, and we will endeavour to respond to all readers within a few days.
If you need help, crisis support services can be reached 24 hours a day: Lifeline 13 11 14; Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467; Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800; MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78; Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636
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