Push for Mental Health Reform in Australia

[logansrogue]

This is a link to GetUp's website, detailing their campaign to urge politicians to reform the Mental Health system in Australia.

One of the most damaging forms of mental illness, PTSD, is not supported or catered for in the current Mental Health system. When I went to get help for my PTSD from assault, I was sent to a general mental health clinic which did not have the resources to understand my specific problems. It wasn't until I sought mental health care from a paid source that my problems were even properly addressed. Under the current Medicare rules, I can get twelve visits to a Mental Health Professional subsidised in a YEAR.

TWELVE visits to a psychologist/psychiatrist in ONE YEAR. There are FIFTY-TWO weeks in a year. That's FORTY weeks without support in a mental health problem that is NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

And I'm generally well-off, not so badly scarred from my time. I hate to think how it is for people who are deeply damaged by their experiences and yet don't have the funds to pay for even Medicare-subsidised treatment.

There are huge numbers of people in this country that need help, and can't get that help. If the Government is overhauling Health, let's make sure they don't ignore this part of keeping a person healthy. After all, the Mind is who we are. We need to take care of that!

Comments

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I'm on a full Disability Pension, and medicare treatment has actually left me suicidal, so I pay for very good counsellors and psychologists that work off the Medicare grid (general rule of thumb is - the Clin Psychs who could actually help are booked up and not taking any new clients, the ones that can't help are free to do lots of damage). So that costs me around $160 a fortnight, for two sessions a week, or $80 a fortnight if I skip one, which I often do.

But I live in a house with a mortgage, so from my DSP, I also have to pay for my mobile phone, our internet, all the groceries, any clothing / haircut / external expenses, the garden, my doctor's appointments (and my doctor does not bulk bill, which is a cost I absorb for her pretty decent treatment of me), my dentist appointments and so on.

It IS possible to afford mental health on a DSP, but usually only if you live with your parents or a room-mate/partner who will pay the mortgage, and every other bill. Then there's community housing, but the wait-list is huge, even for emergency housing (I know, that's the department where Glen works).

Mental health standards in Oz are wrong. Just wrong. :(

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

They are fucking shocking, you're right.

It took a lot of searching to find my current psych, who has been brilliant in helping me deal with my PTSD. She's positive and helpful and never pushes me into anything that I'm not ready for or that I don't find helpful. I get one session a week at 140 bucks, about 80 on Medicare. But I also spend 360 a fortnight on food and board, so I start to get stretched tight, especially with money I owe Dad for things.

[hippiegal22.livejournal.com]

Sadly people don't think of mental health problems as real. The whole "It's all in your head/women are just hormonal/GET OVER IT!" mindset is still very much there.

*sigh*

[asweetdownfall.livejournal.com]

You can get twelve visits subsidized in a year? 12?!!?! That is INSANE. And I don't mean that in a good way. :O