Lack of Practical Support for People with a Severe Mental Illness

[Katie_A]

I think Mental Health Week is a good time to remind the Federal and Victorian Governments that - above all else - people with a serious, chronic mental health disability need practical support in the form of subsidised, safe, clean, stable housing that is not overcrowded. Boarding houses are not appropriate accommodation for someone with a serious mental health disorder. They, along with our prisons, are becoming dumping grounds! Deinstitutionalisation was a positive move, but when is it going to be replaced with more appropriate social housing? Q.L.D.'s Housing and Support Program (HASP) is a welcome step in the right direction.

 Another major form of practical support that people with a chronic, serious mental illness need is subsidised, long-term psychiatric/psychological treatment. The support that is currently being provided is extremely piecemeal and grossly inadequate. There are many people who are seriously ill but receiving little or no treatment for their condition because they cannot afford private health cover. Brief seems to have become the new catch cry in mental health circles, presumably because brief means cheap. However, brief and cheap therapies are only really helpful for people with mild to moderate conditions rather than severe and chronic ones. 

When people's basic needs, e.g. for quality sleep, sound nutrition, privacy, safety and security are ignored, they are likely to fall through the cracks, and it is not necessary to conduct research to understand why!

[AGrace]

Hi Katie.A,

Thanks for your post here. You are right more does need to be done in terms of Mental Health. I'm sure there are a lot of us here who would like to see some of your hopes actualised. It's also perfect timing to bring awareness to this issue. I wondered whether any of your hopes are relevant to you? and if so, Is there anything we can do to support you or share advice on to assist you?

I'd really love to hear more from you, and you may even like to make a Mental Health Pledge in the thread "Welcome to Mental Health Week 2014" under the Depression section of the forums.

AGrace

[geoff]

dear Katie, you are definitely correct that more needs to be done, and possibly this should start with the federal government chipping in more money rather than waste it on certain items, which I could detail, but that's not the point here.

One way is to increase the 10 free visits to a psych to a respectable level, because normally with 10 consultations is never enough, by the time you both introduce yourself, and get to know and understand each other then at least 3 or 4 visits have expired, so it doesn't leave you much to even get to your major concern.

Another way is to have all psychologists and psychiatrist bulk bill all their patients visits, whether this needs to be means tested is up for discussion.

The number of position available at the uni/college needs to be increased, as does the subject of depression be taken up by the schools as compulsory for a couple of years and then as a selective subject.

There is certainly other areas which also need attention like hospitals access, as well as housing or accommodation which is thoroughly lacking to a terrible degree. L Geoff. x