A mental health response service will receive funding until June, but the government has not expanded the service despite pressure from police.
The program with front-line service providers, including police, paramedics and clinicians, specifically set up to respond to mental health incidents has two teams at present and the government has committed to continue funding the second team until the end of the financial year.
The Police, Ambulance, Clinician Emergency Response program, known as PACER, has a paramedic, police officer and mental health clinician in an unmarked car to respond to mental health incidents in the territory.
But there have been calls to expand the program further. The ACT's chief police officer Neil Gaughan said demand for the service had outstripped the two-car resource. About 40 per cent of police attendances are mental health related.
The ACT government's funding, included in the mid-year budget review, will only continue to fund the second team not create an extra team.
PACER has attended 6510 incidents since it was established in December 2019.
ACT Mental Health Minister Emma Davidson said more than 70 per cent of people who are seen by a PACER team do not need to be admitted to hospital as they receive the appropriate support.
"Canberrans deserve access to timely mental health support, in their homes and communities so they can live well during their recovery. Emergency departments can often exacerbate someone's emotional state, whether they are there for mental distress or physical illnesses," she said.
"We know that our PACER program is having a demonstrable impact on both individual lives and our emergency systems."
ACT Police Minister Mick Gentleman said PACER brought together an appropriate team of experts to help Canberrans in their time of need.
"The PACER program's ongoing impact in our community would not be possible without the hard work of our dedicated teams at ACT Ambulance Services, ACT Policing and Canberra Health Services," he said.
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Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Men's Referral Service 1300 776 491; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732.
