THE ACT government is investing $15.8 million into mental health services to support an increased demand that continues to be experienced through the pandemic.

The Police, Ambulance and Clinician Early Response (PACER) program will receive $14.1 million to continue its seven-day operation.

The program has teams consisting of a paramedic, clinician and police officer working together to attend call-outs requiring a specialist mental health response.

“The PACER model reduces demand on policing, paramedics, emergency departments and inpatient services,” emergency services minister Mick Gentleman said.

During 2020, PACER teams responded to 1249 mental health call-outs that resulted in 963 Canberrans receiving care in their home, remaining in the community rather than being hospitalised.

The Access Mental Health Service and Home Assessment Acute Response Team (HAART) will also receive $720,000 of funding. $120,000 will be dedicated to the continued community mental health and wellbeing communications campaign.

Other funding will include $500,000 for the Mental Health Foundation, $135,000 for Menslink, $100,000 to pandemic grief counselling, $80,000 for Mental Illness Education ACT and $80,000 to the Safe Haven Café.

“In a recent ACT government survey, more than half of young Canberrans participating described their mental health as either ‘fair’ or ‘poor’,” Chief Minister Andrew Barr said.

“We are providing $3.156 million for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMS) to continue to operate the adolescent mobile outreach service to improve care for vulnerable young people.”

The government will also invest $655,000 to increase support for young Canberrans at risk of mental illness.

It will go towards scoping for services that cater to mental health challenges related to drug and alcohol abuse, and childhood trauma.