The Women’s Mental Health Alliance has identified a number of evidence-based principles and actions for the Department of Health to consider in order to effectively address the mental health and wellbeing needs of women and girls. This submission outlines how these can be applied during the implementation of recommendations within the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry Report on Mental Health
Summary of recommendations for inclusion during implementation
- Apply an intersectional gender lens to the implementation of the Productivity Commission’s recommendations to ensure a gender-sensitive approach is taken to mental health – from prevention and early intervention through to treatment and recovery
- Prioritise recommendations relating to women’s safety in inpatient units for immediate implementation
- Address the drivers of poor mental health – including gender inequality – in all prevention initiatives to ensure an effective, evidence-based approach to primary prevention
- Ensure mental health systems and services are trauma-informed
- Ensure the mental health workforce is trained to effectively support the diverse needs of women, girls and gender non-binary people
- Collect gender-disaggregated data, undertake a gender analysis and centre the consumer as part of monitoring and evaluation of implementation outcomes.
More information about the consultation here.
Women's Mental Health Alliance (2021) Women’s Mental Health Alliance response to the Department of Health consultation on the recommendations from the Productivity Commission’s Report on Mental Health. Women's Health Victoria, Melbourne.
