Australia invests on e-mental health portal

Photo by Leland Francisco (Lel4nd), Flickr.

The Australian government is investing A$14.4 million (US$15.5 million) over five years to develop a single e-mental health online portal to make it easier for people with mental illness to access information and services.

The portal seeks to provide online training and support to general practitioners, indigenous health workers, and other clinicians working in the mental health field. In addition, it will be a substantial help to those in regional Australia struggling to gain access to face-to-face treatment as well as those who seek for information and medical attention anonymously.

The e-mental health portal will consolidate existing but often “scattered” websites and telephone services to give people access to a range of online or telephone-based services through a “virtual clinic”.

It will give consumers access to a range of online assistance at different treatment levels and give health workers access to information, training and other related resources that would help them deliver health services and treatment.

The portal joins a roster of single-stop Web shops announced by the government, including the allocation of A$38.7 million (US$41.2 million) to the Human Services portfolio over four years for the completion of its single website and telephone number.

According to the federal government, a part of the funding will be met from agency resources, and will support the continued development of a single portfolio website which will include a personalised Web browsing that will enable users to find information relevant to their personal circumstances.

futuregov.asia