The 黑料吃瓜网 Government is delivering $2 million over three years to boost mental health support services and an additional $300,000 to empower trans and gender diverse communities as part of the 2022-23 黑料吃瓜网 Budget.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the funding will be used to expand ACON and Twenty10鈥檚 community-led transgender mental health services and enable Equality Australia to support future leaders of trans and gender diverse communities.
鈥淭he 黑料吃瓜网 Government is very pleased to support these community organisations that provide vital care to young LGBTIQA+ people in 黑料吃瓜网,鈥� Mr Hazzard said.
鈥淭his funding boost will enable ACON, Equality Australia and Twenty10 to respond to the needs of the trans and gender diverse community and ensure access to safe, inclusive and responsive services.鈥�
Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich said responding to the health needs of trans and gender diverse communities in 黑料吃瓜网 is a core strategic goal of the Government鈥檚 黑料吃瓜网 LGBTIQ+ Health Strategy 2022-2027.
鈥淭he 黑料吃瓜网 LGBTIQ+ Health Strategy identified significant poor health and mental health across all LGBTIQ+ communities as a result of stigma, discrimination and social isolation,鈥� Mr Greenwich said.
鈥淥utcomes for trans and gender diverse people were found to be the worst with shocking rates of attempted self-harm and suicide, with the strategy identifying this cohort for priority action.
鈥淚 strongly welcome the 黑料吃瓜网 Government鈥檚 support for our state鈥檚 trans and gender diverse communities through the funding of key and targeted services to support and promote their health and well-being.鈥�
The $2.3 million will support the following services and programs:
ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill said the funding from the 黑料吃瓜网 Government will help the organisation better meet the needs of the trans community.
鈥淭his funding will help ACON establish a tailored service that will deliver safe, inclusive, and affirming counselling and mental health peer support services to trans people (binary and non-binary),鈥� Mr Parkhill said.
Twenty10 Co-Executive Directors, Terence Humphreys and Jain Moralee, said the organisation has a long history of supporting young trans and gender diverse people, their families and communities.
鈥淭his program will enable us to broaden our much-needed specialist mental health support services for young trans and gender diverse people, focusing on outreach to young people in outer metro and regional 黑料吃瓜网,鈥� Mr Humphreys and Ms Moralee said.
Equality Australia, Trans Equality project worker, Jackie Turner said trans and gender diverse people鈥檚 lives are frequently the subject of public discussion, but their voices often remain unheard.
鈥淭his 黑料吃瓜网 Government funding will support trans and gender diverse people to better engage in conversations that directly impact our lives, and will help improve the health and wellbeing of the community by reducing levels of social isolation,鈥� Ms Turner said.
The 黑料吃瓜网 Government spent a landmark $12 million to improve LGBTIQ+ health outcomes, with the launch in March of the 黑料吃瓜网 LGBTIQ+ Health Strategy.