A new e-mental health expert committee will help establish Australia's first mental health online portal and virtual clinic. The Australian Government is providing $48 million in funding over the next five years for telephone counseling, self-help, and Web-based support services to boost efforts in mental health prevention and early intervention
"Continuing advances in technology are revolutionizing the way we provide health care, in particular for patients with chronic illnesses and conditions, such as mental illness," Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Mark Butler said in a press release. "Online services have the potential to overcome geographical, attitudinal, and financial barriers which we know that young Australians or people living in remote or regional areas often face."
Sources:
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/mr-yr11-mb-mb103.htm