Page 1926 - Week 07 - Thursday, 13 August 2020
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systems that touch so many of our young people’s lives. Based on the evidence presented, the committee believes that evidence-based promotion, prevention and early intervention programs offer the most effective solution to the unfortunately growing problem of youth mental health challenges in the ACT.
The committee reiterates the multitude of evidence that highlighted the neuroplasticity of the 18 to 25 years age bracket, and the suggestion that youth-focused mental health services should be extended to the age of 25. The committee acknowledges the Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing’s forward program of work, arising from the children and young people review, and encourages the ACT government to ensure that children and young people, and their families and carers, are actively engaged in any reforms generated from this inquiry.
I want to finish my remarks in the same way that the report began: simply with a quote. This quote was from a 19-year-old witness who very bravely shared her story with the committee and the Canberra community. When asked what her advice would be for other young people suffering mental health challenges, PJ said:
What I would tell others is that, just hold on, it will get better, even though sometimes I do not believe that and I should take my own advice. There is hope. It did take four years but if I had not had my family and if I had not pushed through and stayed positive, I, you know, part of me feels that I would not even be here today. So just hold on and things will get better.
I would like to provide a few remarks on a more personal level, without my chair’s hat on. Young people suffering from mental illness need more support. I have heard too many stories of young people waiting too long to get the help that they need, having to travel too far to get the help that they need and paying too much for the treatment that they need, and simply facing stigma from their diagnosis.
I would like to mention a few sections of this report that I think deserve particular noting. They all do, but these ones do in particular as they are not front and centre. Recommendations 47, 48, 49 and 50 all address the treatment of eating disorders. This is an issue I am very passionate about; I have spoken about it in this place before, numerous times. We need to get our act together and do better when it comes to supporting people with eating disorders.
I think back to when I was at school. I could see that this was a huge issue even then. The number of people in my circles—my schools, my community—that I could see battling this and not getting the support that they needed was too many. I can remember the very scary stories of girls, mostly girls, disappearing from school for months on end, disappearing up to Sydney for a few months to seek private inpatient treatment. They did not get the support they needed in Canberra, and it breaks my heart. Overwhelmingly these were families that could simply not afford this treatment but they had to pay for it anyway. This needs to stop. We need these services here in Canberra and we needed them years ago. I am eagerly awaiting more information on the promised inpatient treatment centre for Canberra. I hope this project is delivered speedily.
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