[Greens-Media] Time to Change Our Minds: SA Needs Anti-Stigma Mental Health Campaign

[Franks, Office]

In Mental Health Week Greens SA spokesperson for Mental Health, Tammy Franks, has called on the State Government to fund a campaign to "challenge the stigma" of mental illness.

Ms Franks said: "Currently, every other English-speaking OECD country apart from Australia runs a campaign to counter the stigma of mental illness.

"Anti-stigma mental health campaigns are proven to reduce the costs to society of mental illness. Research from the London School of Economics based on the Scottish See Me initiative identified that for every £1 spent on that anti-stigma social campaign there was an economy-wide saving of more than £8. Research on the Like Minds, Like Mine campaign in New Zealand identified a similar return on investment.

"Reducing discriminatory attitudes towards mental illness would mean people would be much more likely to talk about their mental health needs and seek support and treatment earlier. We know that when that treatment is sought early there are significant benefits in reduced demand on crisis point services and productivity loss.
"That is why New Zealand, Scotland, England, Canada, the USA and Ireland have all seen the value in ending the stigma and discrimination of mental ill-health with anti-stigma campaigns.

"This week the Queensland State Government launched the Change Our Minds campaign and has invested $8.5 million over the next four years with a challenge to the federal government and to follow suit. Mental health Week is an opportune time for the SA Government to rise to that challenge," Ms Franks concluded.

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