SPR30831 WLF SPA WhitePaper v12 - Flipbook - Page 7
Summary of recommendations
Recommendations
Economic overview
The Australian Government consider:
1. Increasing the base rate of JobSeeker after the coronavirus
supplement expires.
2. E
xtending JobKeeper beyond September 2020 to target
employers in industries that continue to see the most significant
impact.
Domestic violence
Governments to consider:
3. F
unding the adaption of existing suicide prevention and mental
health training programs to build Domestic and Family Violence
(DFV) workforce capacity to screen for mental health issues,
suicide risk and practice suicide interventions with at-risk groups.
Social isolation
The Australian Government to consider:
4. G
overnment to fund the development and delivery of mental
health and wellbeing screeners in retirement villages.
5. G
overnment to invest in a model of care for retirement villages,
which addresses and responds to older Australians mental health
and wellbeing.
6. G
overnment to deliver a national survey into the impacts of
COVID-19 on the mental health and suicidality of all Australians.
Substance abuse and
alcohol consumption
Governments to consider:
7. F
unding for tailored (preferably pre-service) suicide prevention
training and education for frontline hospital staff.
8. Include addressing suicide risk within future national, state and
territory drug and alcohol strategies.
9. F
unding packages to support screening by alcohol and substance
service providers for mental health issues and suicidal ideation in
at-risk clients and consumers.
Homelessness
Governments to consider:
10. E
xtending moratoriums on evictions to support people who will
experience prolonged financial distress.
11. A
ddressing long-term housing and strategies, including the
Housing First approach, in the recovery phase of COVID-19.
The role of media
The Australian Government should continue to:
12. Widely promote fact-based sources of information on COVID-19.
Reducing distress in the community following the COVID-19 pandemic
June 2020
7
