Mental Health

The NSW Democrats believe that Mental Health is just as important as physical health and deserves equal priority in public health policy. Two out of five people in NSW will experience some form of mental illness at some point in their lives. 14% of young people under the age of 18 suffer some form of mental illness and one in ten elderly people are the primary carer for someone with a long-term mental illness, disability or some form of dementia.

Mental Health is everyone's business. After the de-institutionalisation of the 1980's following the Richmond Report, NSW prisons have become de-facto mental institutions of the 21 st century, with approximately 30% of the prison population having undergone some form of treatment or assessment for emotional and psychological problems.

KEY ISSUES

• High incidence of prisoners with mental health problems
• Lack of adequate community support services for people with a mental illness
• Lack of hospital places for people with acute mental illness

WHAT HAS DR ARTHUR CHESTERFIELD EVANS DONE?

• In 2001 established a Select Parliamentary Committee inquiry into Mental Health. The inquiry looked into the changes which have taken place since the adoption of the Richmond Report, the impact on psychiatric hospitalisation, funding, staff levels and the availability and mix of mental health services in NSW.
• There were 120 recommendations arising from the inquiry which would, if put in place would solve many of the problems that still exist today in NSW
• Pursued the issue in questions and Estimates committee hearings and recently ran two more forums on mental heath

WHAT WILL THE DEMOCRATS DO?

We will continue to push for:

• The implementation of all the Inquiry's 120 recommendations, especially:
• The establishment of an Office of Mental Health in the NSW Premier's Department. The Office will advise and coordinate mental health services between the NSW Department of Housing, Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHAC), NSW Health, Police Force, the Attorney General, Non-Government Organizations (NGO) and Community Service Providers.
• Establishment of an independent inquiry into the incidence and circumstances of suicide among people with mental illness who where under the care of NSW Health or refused admission to public hospitals or psychiatric units within a week prior to committing suicide.
• Push NSW Health to increase the number of supported accommodation places for people with mental disorders in NSW
• Push for clustered housing' project for people with a mental illness who have difficulty maintaining public housing tenancies.
• NSW Health to introduce data collection on re-admissions to psychiatric units at three, six & Twelve month intervals to assist in the planning of services with a focus on relapse prevention.
• Additional resources made available for community crisis teams and adequate case management of people with a mental illness in the community.