Ballarat mental health advocates hope real change, not just talk, result from a royal commission in to mental health promised by Premier Daniel Andrews if Labor wins next month’s state election.
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The proposed commission, which would be held within 100 days of a Labor re-election, would take up to two years and cost about $13 million in to a system that many advocates, families, sufferers and medical experts have described as broken.
“I don’t believe the system is broken, but I believe the system is overworked,” said headspace Ballarat manager Janelle Johnson.
“We still see too many young people take their life in Ballarat,” Ms Johnson said.
“Particularly in Ballarat we know that more can be done for those families and individuals suffering with mental health issues. Services want to provide more support but due to funding deficiencies it’s not always possible,” Ms Johnson said.
“We often end up supporting people that are already experiencing severe mental issues rather than … providing support and early intervention to people. We can shorten some of their mental health problems if we get in early.”
The state's royal commission into mental health would be a first in Australia.
Mr Andrews said it would address early intervention and better support for families and mental health and would be life-changing for many people.
“It is going to give us the answers we need. It is going to change lives. It is going to save lives.”
Ballarat Community Health chief executive Robyn Reeves welcomed the promise of a royal commission but said an inquiry in to “the system” was a misnomer.
“It’s not a system. There’s all these different little bits and they don’t work together to provide a cohesive system for people to receive mental health support,” she said.
“If the commission is to go ahead, and I hope it will, it must have a broad remit so all of the problems can really be investigated and it must have the capacity to make strong recommendations that can be funded and will be followed.”
Ms Reeves said people with serious mental health issues were often not able to access services, and the NDIS had complicated matters further.
She also said any inquiry must also delve in to the increase in bullying and cyber bullying, which has a negative impact on mental health, particularly among young people. “If our laws don’t protect young people in that space, then we will be unable to address mental health issues that relate to bullying.”
Mr Andrews said one in five Victorians would experience a mental illness.
“This year, 3000 Australians will take their own lives. Countless more are trying to cope,’’ he said. “If this were any other cause or condition, we would call it what it is: a national emergency.”
Mental health workers say GPs struggle to find specialist support for their patients with symptoms of mental health disorders, including mild psychosis and those patients who find themselves in hospital are often discharged early, because of intense pressure on beds.
And people who seek help in emergency departments often languish there for hours, as people with physical ailments are seen first.
Leading mental health advocate Professor Patrick McGorry said two out of three people were turned away from specialist mental health every day.
- Lifeline 131 114, beyondblue 1300 224 636, SuicideLine 1300 651 251
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