A Christchurch woman who lost her father to suicide last year is speaking out against the Budget, saying it's woefully lacking in dollars specifically for mental health.
Despite increased funding for DHBs and primary care Grace Curtis says there's been no increase in money earmarked for the specialist mental health area.
“I was looking for what they were going to do for mental health and then of course hugely, hugely, disappointed that there wasn't even really a mention of it,” she told 1 NEWS.
Now, she has this message for the Government.
“This really should be just as important - If not more important - than Covid-19 in our Covid response because it's taking far more lives in our country at the moment.”
Senior lecturer at Otago University’s Department of Psychological Medicine Dr Christopher Gale agrees with Curtis.
“I don't know how much money has been set aside for mental health services this year because the Budget doesn't break it down that far,” he says.
“I think that we are very much underfunded in mental health and understaffed.”
In a statement the Ministry of Health says the 2019 Budget was focussed on mental health.
“Mental health was the principle focus of budget 2019 with $1.9-billion to improve our mental health services over a five-year work programme. Mental health remains a priority for this Government.”
However, Curtis says a lack of support has prompted her, and two other young women who have lost their fathers, to start Cool Change NZ to fill a mental health void.
“If (our fathers) hadn't slipped through the cracks we would still have them here. Which is why we're hoping to raise awareness that others don't find themselves in our position.”
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