Page 144 - Week 02 - Thursday, 25 May 1989
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The environmental factors can best be described as the effects of stressful life events and undue pressures.
Stressful life events can include what most of us consider to be traumatic circumstances, but even less threatening changes can trigger the illness in young people predisposed to the condition. Undue pressure can often come from those directly involved with the sufferer or potential sufferer. If the individuals do not fit in with expectations or standards of those involved with them it can lead to criticism, which they are not as well equipped to handle.
I have spent time in addressing the facts about schizophrenia because I believe that education and awareness of these issues will help our community to provide support for sufferers and their families and friends, and understanding, so that the direct causes and effects of this illness are not exacerbated by ignorance and fear.
The ACT Community and Health Service has worked in cooperation with the ACT Mental Health Association, the ACT Council of Social Services and other concerned organisations, support groups and individuals to develop services and support structures to help address the particular needs of the schizophrenia sufferers and their families in the ACT.
Many of the problems raised in "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" have not been resolved. They are complex and difficult to successfully overcome. However, the significant amount of work which has been done and which will continue to be done puts us in a good position to progressively address shortcomings in services that still exist.
I have already announced the Government's intention to review the Mental Health Ordinance. This review will involve extensive consultation and will give everyone in our community with an interest the chance to contribute to the decisions this Assembly will have to make in the near future. Consultations will begin in July and should be completed by September.
The existing Mental Health Ordinance provides for the establishment of a Mental Health Advisory Council to advise the Community and Health Service on mental health issues. This body has not been able to be as effective as it would have liked and after consultation with the council, interested community groups and health service providers it was agreed that its structure required change. A new council more widely representative of interested community groups and service providers is to be formed, and nominations have already been invited for appointment to the new body. It is anticipated that it will come into operation by early August.
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