Griefline closure: National grief and loss helpline forced to close amid funding uncertainty
Australia’s national grief and loss helpline is set to close on Tuesday due to a lack of sustainable funding from the Federal Government.
Griefline was forced to make the decision after an 18-month battle to secure funding through several avenues, including the Department of Health and Aged Care as well as philanthropic and corporate partnerships.
Despite a 112 per cent increase in calls in the past financial year, Griefline was unable to secure enough Commonwealth funding for the free bereavement support phone service to continue.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“The loss of this service will create a critical gap in grief support, leaving many without timely intervention,” the organisation said in a statement.
Senate Estimates last month saw Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy, representing Health Minister Mark Butler, assure funding support for Griefline would be reinstated despite initially being knocked back by the department’s evaluation process for a mental health grant.
“I know that the health minister has also reached out to Griefline. I know that there will be support for Griefline as well,” Ms McCarthy said.
It was in response to questions from shadow assistant minister for mental health and suicide prevention Hollie Hughes about Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s call to overrule the department’s decision not to fund another mental health service, Red Nose Australia, after the organisation called in to a Sydney radio station.
Weeks later, Griefline has only received a “forecast opportunity”, a bureaucratic term for a potential grant opportunity, with no application timeline or approval certainty before the election is called.
“The government has effectively kicked grief support funding beyond the election, avoiding accountability and leaving grieving Australians without the help they need,” a Griefline spokesperson said.
“The funding offered is half of what’s required, creating a major shortfall. Thousands of Australians will lose access to urgent grief support, with no guarantee funding will ever be finalised.”
It’s too little, too late.
Senator Hughes said the back-flip on funding was a mess and the Health Minister “must clean it up now for the good of the sector”.
“I call on Minister McCarthy and Minister Butler to clarify whether they misled Senate Estimates to deflect from the government’s failure to support mental health services,” she said on Saturday.
“It looks like Labor made promises with no intention of delivering before these programs were shut down. It’s too little, too late.”
With the helpline due to close on Tuesday, the organisation won’t be completely devoid of assistance for those in need.
The organisation will continue to provide free professional bereavement counselling through the Integrating Grief Programs in NSW and Victoria, nationwide bereavement and voluntary assisted dying support groups, and a growing range of digital grief resources which are accessible 24/7.
