Australians living with mental illness are a step closer to being able to access online care and support following the establishment of a new e-mental health expert committee which will advise on the rollout of the nation’s first mental health online portal and virtual clinic.

The rollout of these new online initiatives will be considered by the expert committee in its development of Australia’s first national e-mental health strategy.

“Continuing advances in technology are revolutionising 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.

“Online mental health services provide an alternative form of support or care for people who don’t want to, or don’t feel comfortable accessing traditional face-to-face services.

“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.

“For example, the new virtual clinic has the potential to treat thousands of Australians living with mild to moderately severe depression and anxiety disorders which form the bulk of mental illness.”

The Gillard Government is providing $48 million in funding over the next 5 years for telephone counselling, self-help and web based support services to boost efforts in mental health prevention and early intervention.

Social media expert, Rachel de Sain (pictured) will join mental health professionals as a technical advisor on the expert committee to provide advice on how to maximise e-mental health and harness the opportunities presented by the new and emerging technologies including the National Broadband Network.

Other committee members include:

Professor Helen Christensen, Director of the Centre for Mental Health Research at the Australian National University; Professor Gavin Andrews, Director of the University of New South Wales School of Psychiatry at St Vincent’s Hospital; Associate Professor Judy Proudfoot, e-health Director of the Black Dog Institute and Dr Jane Burns who leads the Co-operative Research Centre for Young People, Technology and Wellbeing Project.

Professor Pat Dudgeon, Chair of the Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association and head of the Centre for Aboriginal Studies at Curtin University will also join the group, as will Associate Professor James Bennett-Levy of the University of Sydney and Southern Cross University, Dr Maggie Jamieson, the CEO of Lifeline and Mr Ryan McGlaughlin, CEO of Suicide Prevention Australia.

Consumer and carer representatives from the Mental Health Council of Australia complete the committee.

The Gillard Government’s investment in e-mental health will complement the significant benefits that the broader e-health record will have for people with a mental illness.