Care Beyond Crisis: a call for change this Mental Health Month
Mental Health Coordinating Council
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 September 2026
MEDIA RELEASE
Care Beyond Crisis: a call for change this Mental Health Month
As NSW marks Mental Health Month this October, Mental Health Coordinating Council (MHCC) has launched Care Beyond Crisis, a new campaign calling for greater investment in community-based mental health care so people living with mental health challenges can access support earlier, stay well in their communities and reduce the need for crisis care.
MHCC Chief Executive Officer Dr Evelyne Tadros said there is strong evidence that community-based mental health care works, but current service capacity falls well short of the level of need.
“An estimated 80% of people in NSW who need psychosocial supports are missing out, and this is set to rapidly increase with recent NDIS reforms.”
“Mental Health Month is an important opportunity to talk about mental health and wellbeing, but we also need to talk about whether people can access the support they need to live well in their communities.”
“Community-based services provide practical, person-centred support that can help people with housing, relationships, employment and education, social connection and daily living. These supports need to be available to many more people across NSW,” Dr Tadros said.
Care Beyond Crisis calls for:
- Stronger support before and beyond crisis – expand proven community-based services and improve coordination between hospitals, primary care and community supports.
- A stable and sustainable workforce – invest in training, supervision, peer roles and workforce retention to build capacity to meet growing demand.
- A viable community-managed mental health sector – provide sustainable funding and longer-term contracts so services can plan, retain their workforce and respond to community need.
The campaign is backed by a growing evidence base of independently evaluated community-based mental health programs and services across NSW, demonstrating their impact on people’s recovery and wellbeing and the broader health system.
An evaluation of Bondi Prevention and Recovery Centre (PARC) found emergency and inpatient mental health service use fell by 33–44% following a stay, while the service cost around $400 per person per day, compared with $1,438 for inpatient mental health care.
An evaluation of NSW Community Living Supports (CLS) also found mental health-related hospital admissions fell by 74% following entry to the program, while average length of stay fell by almost 75% over two years.
“These results show the difference community-based mental health care can make, both for people and the wider mental health system,” Dr Tadros said.
“We already have services across NSW demonstrating what community-based care can achieve. Greater investment would enable more people to benefit and help reduce pressure on hospitals and acute services.
“NSW is at a pivotal point in mental health reform. The decisions we make now about where we invest will shape how people access mental health support into the future.
“We have an opportunity to make community-based care a much stronger part of our mental health system, so more people have the support they need to recover, stay connected and live well in their communities,” Dr Tadros said.
-ENDS-
About Mental Health Coordinating Council
Mental Health Coordinating Council is the peak body primarily for community-managed mental health organisations in NSW. MHCC provides policy leadership, promotes legislative reform and systemic change, and develops resources and training to assist community mental health organisations to deliver quality and effective services underpinned by best practice principles. Visit mhcc.org.au
Media contacts:
Dr Evelyne Tadros, CEO, Mental Health Coordinating Council, 0419 223 360 or [email protected]