An ACT Office of Mental Health is yet to be set up nearly one year after the territory election, despite it being one of the key components of Labor's power-sharing agreement with the Greens.
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In their parliamentary agreement, Labor and the Greens promised to establish the office to better coordinate mental health services, develop a strategy to reduce suicide and provide more support for young people.
About $500,000 was set aside for the office in the June budget, with a total of $2.9 million allocated over the next four years.
But during Suicide Prevention Week, mental health minister Shane Rattenbury told the ACT Legislative Assembly the office did not yet exist.
He said while the government had undertaken a literature review and looked at other models in both Australia and across the world, they were yet to settle on a model that would work in the ACT.
"I acknowledge members, providers and the community's interest in the ACT Office for Mental Health and I also recognise there has unfortunately been some unavoidable delays in progressing formal consultation on this initiative," Mr Rattenbury told the Assembly.
"As members may be aware, the Office for Mental Health is a key priority for me as the ACT's first dedicated minister for mental Health. I believe a body such as this has the potential to make real and lasting change for mental health consumers, carers and their families. To do this however, significant community consultation and engagement is needed."
Mr Rattenbury said the office would be in place by July 1 next year.
He said the election commitment was only to establish the office and did not come with a deadline.
"When we made this promise in the election campaign we didn't put a specific timeline on it because we wanted to have the opportunity to come into office, start those conversations with people in the community, I've now got budget funding for four years to move this forward, that is substantial progress. What we are now focused on is getting the details of the model right so we can deliver exactly what the community needs and get it right," Mr Rattenbury said.
He said while there were "increasing concerns" about perinatal mental health and more young people presenting with mental illness, he rejected assertions that the current system was substandard.
"We have a system that works reasonably well now - I'm not satisfied with that and I want it to work better. That's what we're trying to achieve," Mr Rattenbury said.
"It is complex, there are a range of different approaches you could take and I'm willing to take the time to get this right, because it is so important that we get this right.
"The people we are seeking to support here are some of the most vulnerable in our community. I want to use the Office of Mental Health to get better coordination of our services, get a more person-centric approach when it comes to mental health services and that's why I'm taking the time to do this properly."
Opposition health spokeswoman Vicki Dunne said Mr Rattenbury should be "embarrassed" about the progress of the office, given it was Suicide Prevention Week.
"He says it's his highest priority and all the time I've been the shadow minister for health I've been told this is the minister's highest priority but we see no action in this place," Mrs Dunne said.
If you need help or support contact, Lifeline: 13 11 14, beyondblue: 1300 22 4636, Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 (24/7 crisis support), or headspace: 1800 650 890 www.headspace.org.au.
