The Mission Australia Youth Mental Health and Homelessness report out today only highlights further this important issue the Hodgman Liberal Government is working hard to address.
Unfortunately, this is not an issue experienced only in Tasmania but across Australia, and the link between mental health issues and homelessness is not new.
However we must do all we can to help our youth struggling in such circumstances and that is why we launched and funded the Affordable Housing Action Plan in September 2015, and have committed to a number of programs focussed at young people.
These include building a 25 unit Supported Accommodation Facility at Devonport, increasing the number at Thyne House by eight as well as constructing and funding a Youth at Risk Response Facility at Moonah.
During this time we have also opened the 46 unit Trinity Hill Youth Supported Accommodation Facility and completed the renovation of the Annie Kenney Young Women’s Shelter.
On the youth mental health front we have supported a range of programs, including allocating part of the $16 million committed for community packages announced in this year’s health Budget to the #iConnect program, which specifically helps at-risk children and youth (aged 12 to 18) with complex mental health issues.
The Hodgman Government is also supporting the Stay Chatty program in schools with $250,000 in the 2017-18 Budget and we are providing an extra $6.9 million to employ an additional 14.8 FTE professional support staff in government schools, including psychologists and social workers.
Despite claiming how important addressing youth issues are in Tasmania and to Tasmanians, Labor have no policies in this area.
Our youth are Tasmania’s future and we will continue to work hard to ensure they are given the best chance possible.