Nearly two-thirds of people who work in mental health in the ACT are employed through charities and other community-managed organisations, according to the first comprehensive territory-wide study of the community mental health sector’s workforce, the ACT community-managed mental health workforce profile 2023.

But the Mental Health Community Coalition ACT (MHCC ACT), which published the report, says the findings also show “disturbingly high” levels of employment insecurity. Half of all workers are in casual or temporary employment; half of all organisations have vacancies, and difficulty filling them; staff are stressed and burnt out; and service waiting lists and turn away rates are increasing.

The MHCC ACT also worries that ACT and federal government reforms to the mental health system will intensify workforce demand. They say that a clear roadmap is urgently needed to ensure a sustainable and skilled mental health workforce in the ACT, and that funding and policy commitments must underpin the ACT Government’s Mental Health Workforce Plan.

“The findings of this report provide invaluable and unprecedented insights into the size, nature, and context of the community-managed mental health workforce, demonstrating both the valuable contribution of the workforce and the myriad challenges it is currently facing,” said Corinne Dobson, acting CEO of MHCC ACT.

Fifty-five organisations were surveyed. The report, MHCC ACT states, paints a picture of a diverse workforce, employing 2,051 paid workers, which equates to 1,231 full-time equivalent positions, in addition to 1,143 volunteer workers. Nearly two-thirds (61 per cent) of the workforce are women, and almost 70 per cent are less than 45 years of age.

The report also reveals disturbingly high levels of employment insecurity, MHCC ACT states. Around half of all workers are either in casual or temporary employment – a rate that is substantially higher than the rates of casual and temporary employment in both the wider Australian workforce and the ACT public sector mental health workforce.

“The precarious and insecure nature of employment across our sector threatens the sustainability of our workforce, and is contributing to difficulties attracting, recruiting, and retaining appropriately skilled and experienced workers,” Ms Dobson said.

“Nearly half of the organisations surveyed have had vacant positions in their mental health workforce in the past six months, and of these, over half indicated vacancies were difficult to fill. Difficulties recruiting and retaining staff is contributing to stress and burnout among the existing workforce, along with increased service waiting lists and turn away rates.”

The survey findings indicate that ACT and federal government reforms to the mental health system will intensify workforce demand.

“This report points to the urgent need for a clear roadmap to ensure a sustainable and skilled mental health workforce in the ACT now and into the future,” Ms Dobson said.

“Historically, our workforce has not been a policy priority for governments; responsibility for it is fragmented nationally and locally; and the information governments need to better understand our workforce and plan for the future is lacking.

“We welcome the Mental Health Workforce Action Plan currently being developed by the ACT Government, but if this is to support a sustainable and skilled mental health workforce now and into the future, it must be underpinned by funding and policy commitments that recognise the vital role of the community-managed workforce.

“The community-managed mental health sector has endured years of underfunding and upheaval. The pressures of increasing demand, complexity in people’s mental health needs, and chronic under-resourcing and understaffing are simply unsustainable.

“Our sector is experiencing unprecedented demand. We must recognise and address the challenges faced by those who deliver these invaluable services.

“We hope this important report will underscore the vital contribution of the community-managed mental health workforce and the challenges it faces, and we look forward to working with all levels of government towards practical solutions.”

Emma Davidson, ACT Minister for Mental Health, will speak next week about budget funding for mental health services.