Disability Rights: Not for Service - Report: Part 8_8_9

Not for Service: Experiences of injustice and despair in mental health care in Australia

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PART EIGHT: APPENDICES

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8.8 Snapshot of media reports regarding crisis in mental health care
8.9 State/Territory funding announcements

8.8 SNAPSHOT OF MEDIA REPORTS REGARDING CRISIS IN MENTAL HEALTH CARE

Table 8.8: Snapshot of media reports regarding crisis in mental health care

DATE	TITLE	AUTHOR	SOURCE
19 Aug 2003	Families, Counsellors Respond To Tale Of Hidden Tragedy	Steven Waldon & Julie-Ann Davies	The Age
2 Sept 2003	Mental Health Suicides Shock - Call For A Time-Out Facility	Danielle Cronin	The Canberra Times
12 Nov 2003	Psychiatric Procedures Questioned	Roderick Campbell	The Canberra Times
6 Dec 2003	System To Blame For Suicide - Coroner	Roderick Campbell	The Canberra Times
6 Dec 2003	Ex-Wife Blames Lack Of Support For Deaths	Emma Chalmers	The Courier Mail
26 Dec 2003	Mental Suicide Up - HOSPITALS IN CRISIS		The Daily Telegraph
30 Dec 2003	Fatal Error And Demand For Royal Commission - HOSPITALS IN CRISIS	Katherine Janks	The Daily Telegraph
31 Dec 2003	Hospital Failures Blamed For Suicides - HOSPITALS IN CRISIS	Zoe Taylor	The Daily Telegraph
25 Jan 2004	Flaw In Mental Health Service		The Canberra Times
28 Jan 2004	Jail Should Include Mental-Health Space: Advocate	Catherine Naylor	The Canberra Times
31 Jan 2004	Dilemma For Judges Who Deal With Mentally Ill		The Canberra Times
14 Feb 2004	Prison Politics	Ian Gerard & Drew Warne-Smith	The Australian
17 Feb 2004	Mental Health Patient Outcry: Courts 'Being Blackmailed'	Monika Boogs	The Canberra Times
19 Feb 2004	Worker Admits He Failed To Monitor At-Risk Patient	Roderick Campbell	The Canberra Times
19 Feb 2004	Suicide Warning For Mentally Ill	Carol Nader	The Age
20 Feb 2004	Patients Suffer As Mental Health Plans Fail - Essential Service Failure	Gosia Kaszubska	The Australian
20 Feb 2004	Hospitals Say Chief Psychiatrist 'Out Of Touch'	Carol Nader	The Age
21 Feb 2004	Let Those Who Know Speak: Call For Consumers, Carers To Be Involved In New Working Party	Danielle Cronin	The Canberra Times
21 Feb 2004	Coroner May Probe Patients' Suicides	Catharine Munro	The Age
27 Feb 2004	Mental Health: Call To Action		The Canberra Times
28 Feb 2004	Coroner Slates Care Of Mentally Ill	Roderick Campbell	The Canberra Times
28 Feb 2004	The Doctors Of Despair	Sandra McLean	The Courier Mail
12 Mar 2004	Mentally Ill Merit Much More Of A Fair Go From Us		The Canberra Times
17 Mar 2004	Critical Condition	Graeme Bond	The Age
23 Mar 2004	Officer Hid Her Dark, Sad Secret	Nicolle Fenech	The Daily Telegraph
25 Mar 2004	Inquiry Into Suicide Ordered	Danielle Cronin	The Canberra Times
27 Mar 2004	Suicides: Coroner's List Grows	Roderick Campbell	The Canberra Times
31 Mar 2004	We Can't Stop Suicides, But With Better Services We Could Save Some		The Canberra Times
12 Apr 2004	Suicide Risk Claim In Hospital Change	Cathy O'Leary	The West Australian
5 May 2004	Rally Brings Suicide Into Spotlight	Pamela Magill	The West Australian
14 May 2004	Psychiatric Unit Under Fire	Carol Nader	The Age
24 May 2004	High Rates Of Mental Illness In Jail Inmates	Ian Munro	The Age
27 May 2004	Probe On Suicide After Hospital Turns Away Man	Danny Rose	The Hobart Mercury
27 May 2004	Be Aware Of Young People's Distress	Daniel Landon	The Canberra Times
30 May 2004	Patient Acted On Death Threats After Release	Alexandra Economou	The Advertiser
4 Jul 2004	Jail Should Not Become Refuge	Terry Sweetman	The Sunday Mail
31 Jul 2004	No Follow-Up On Mentally Ill Criminals	Leanne Craig	The Advertiser
2 Aug 2004	Inquiry Plea After Mental Health Deaths	Dawn Gibson	The West Australian
3 Aug 2004	Tragic Toll Hits Our Young - Not-For-Profit Organisations - A Special Advertising Report		The Daily Telegraph
4 Aug 2004	Psychosis 'No Excuse' To Escape Prison Cell	Leanne Craig	The Advertiser
14 Aug 2004	Singh Now A Crusader For Women In Jail		The Canberra Times
21 Aug 2004	Judge Hits Treatment Of Insane	Nick Clark	The Hobart Mercury
25 Aug 2004	Jail System A 'Sump' For The Mentally Ill	Rebecca DiGirolamo	The Australian
26 Aug 2004	Teenagers Locked Away With Criminally Insane	Dawn Gibson & Peta Rasdien	The West Australian
26 Aug 2004	Govts 'All Talk, Not Much Action' On Mentally Ill	Catherine Naylor	The Canberra Times
26 Aug 2004	Drugs Linked To Mental Health Crisis	Meaghan Shaw	The Age
3 Sept 2004	Three Sons Lost To The Island Of Despair	Tony Koch	The Australian
10 Sept 2004	Spotlight On A Dark Road	Steve Waldon	The Age
30 Sept 2004	Dawes Bond 'Manifestly Inadequate'	Lisa Miller	The Daily Telegraph
28 Oct 2004	Police To Decide Mental Health Treatment	Julie Robotham	The Sydney Morning Herald
30 Oct 2004	When A Girl's Mum Is The Only One Listening	Vanessa McCausland	The Daily Telegraph
5 Nov 2004	Police Left To Prop Up Ailing Mental Health System	Ruth Pollard	The Sydney Morning Herald
6 Nov 2004	Agony Over System That Failed Nigel	Michelle Paine	The Hobart Mercury
10 Dec 2004	Save Our Children - Society Fails The Innocent	Lillian Saleh	The Daily Telegraph
12 Dec 2004	Holding Bays Doling Out 'Subhumane Care'	Peter Ellingsen	The Sunday Age
12 Dec 2004	Suicide A Risk After Hospital	Liz Porter	The Sunday Age
12 Dec 2004	Threat To Oneself No Guarantee Of Care	Peter Ellingsen	The Sunday Age
12 Dec 2004	The Shame Of Our 'Forgotten People'	Peter Ellingsen	The Sunday Age
19 Dec 2004	80% Of Homeless Have Mental Disorder	Peter Ellingsen	The Sunday Age
18 Jan 2005	Prison Boom Will Prove A Social Bust	Eileen Baldry	The Sydney Morning Herald
31 Jan 2005	Brogden Wants More For Mental Health		The Daily Telegraph
5-6 Feb 2005	She's Australian And Mentally Ill - Yet Immigration Locked Her Up	Andra Jackson	The Sydney Morning Herald
5-6 Feb 2005	Mentally Ill Aussie In Detention Centre	Andrew McGarry	The Weekend Australian
7 Feb 2005	My Sister Lost Her Mind, And Australia Lost Its Heart When It Imprisoned Her	Chris Rau & John MacDonald	The Sydney Morning Herald
8 Feb 2005	Queensland Hospitals Fail Patients	Jeff Sommerfeld	The Courier Mail
8 Feb 2005	Shameful Case Forces Change	Stephanie Peatling & Mark Todd	The Sydney Morning Herald
8 Feb 2005	Message Of Love For A Lost Child	Lisa Davies	The Daily Telegraph
8 Feb 2005	When Detention Begets Its Own Madness		The Age
8 Feb 2005	Shameful Case Forces Change	Stephanie Peatling & Mark Todd	The Sydney Morning Herald
8 Feb 2005	Funds For Mentally Ill Lowest In Nation	Jeff Sommerfeld	The Courier Mail
9 Feb 2005	Rau Is Only An Extreme Example - Our Prisons Are Full Of Mentally Ill People	Allan Fels	The Sydney Morning Herald
9 Feb 2005	Brogden Pledges Action On 'Mental Asylum' Jails	Anne Davies	The Sydney Morning Herald
12 Feb 2005	Out Of Mind	Ruth Pollard	The Sydney Morning Herald
12 Feb 2005	Loose Ends Thrown Up By		The Canberra Times
15 Feb 2005	Prison System Close To Crisis	Fergus Shiel & Meaghan Shaw	The Age
15 Feb 2005	Mentally Ill Trapped In Casualty	Carol Nader	The Age
18 Feb 2005	Battling Guilt And Society's Stigma	Pat Sutton	The Advertiser
18 Feb 2005	Mental Health Inquiry Tackles System In Crisis	Aban Contractor & Mark Metherell	The Sydney Morning Herald
19 Feb 2005	Suicidal Woman Who Drowned Son Not Guilty	Geesche Jacobsen	The Sydney Morning Herald
19 Feb 2005	Prescribing Passion For A Healthier System		The Canberra Times
20 Feb 2005	It's Time To Admit We've Created A Gulag	Russell Skelton	The Sunday Age
21 Feb 2005	Mental Health Care Called To Account	Kate Legge	The Australian
21 Feb 2005	NSW Govt Backs Senate Mental Health Inquiry	Sharan Burrow	Health Business Daily News
22 Feb 2005	Shock May Have Saved Man: Report	Danielle Cronin	The Canberra Times
25 Feb 2005	States 'Starving' Mental Health Sector Of Funds	Dan Brown	Health Business Daily News
2 Mar 2005	Training Needed, Says Report On Suicide	Danielle Cronin	The Canberra Times
5 Mar 2005	Treatment Of Mentally Ill As Bad As Ever: Expert	Danielle Cronin	The Canberra Times
5 Mar 2005	Agency Of Hate And Anguish	Dawn Gibson	The West Australian
5 Mar 2005	No Hospital Bed For Suicide Women	Wendy Pryer	The West Australian
5 Mar 2005	Suicide Woman Wanted Treatment	Wendy Pryer	The West Australian
16 Mar 2005	Crisis System 'Failed' Man Later Charged With Murder	Carol Nader & Stephen Moynihan	The Age
18 Mar 2005	Plea For Action On Prevention Plan As Tragic Toll Jumps Alarmingly: State Suicide Crisis	Gavin Lower	Hobart Mercury
24 Mar 2005	Country Set To Lose $1m Mental Funds	Jessica Strutt	The West Australian
29 Mar 2005	Shot Man Had Been Left Without Supervision	Jeff Sommerfeld	The Courier Mail
30 Mar 2005	Suicide Figures Justify Building 'Time-Out' Facility: Stefaniak	Danielle Cronin	The Canberra Times
31 Mar 2005	Jail Birds	Ian Munro	The Age
2 Apr 2005	Shedding Light On Despair's Dark Side		The Canberra Times
2 Apr 2005	When Blue Turns Black	Ruth Pollard	The Sydney Morning Herald
5 Apr 2005	Mentally Ill Warehoused In Jails, Says Parole Board Chief	Jessica Strutt	The West Australian
6 Apr 2005	Grown Men Should Have The Courage To Break Out Crying	Rex Jory	The Advertiser
9 Apr 2005	Suicide Rate High After Mental Unit Discharge	Gerard Noonan	The Sydney Morning Herald
13 Apr 2005	Black Kids Facing Mental Health Crisis	Amanda Banks	The Australian
18 April 2005	When jail becomes a psychiatric ward	Stephen Gibbs	The Sydney Morning Herald
19 Apr 2005	Call To Fix Mental Health Care Crisis	Ruth Pollard	The Sydney Morning Herald
19 Apr 2005	Alarm At Lack Of Treatment For Mental Illness Sufferers	Ruth Pollard	The Age
19 Apr 2005	System Fails Mentally Ill: Report	Rosemary Desmon	The Courier Mail
23 Apr 2005	Sick System Victim	Wayne Crawford	The Hobart Mercury
23 Apr 2005	Case Closes On Tragic Tale Of Gary Lee- Rogers		The Canberra Times
28 Apr 2005	Mental Health Patients Turned Away	AAP	The Sunday Telegraph
28 Apr 2005	Government 'Failing' The Mentally Ill	Saffron Howden	The Weekend Australian
5 May 2005	Govt Seeks Detainee Judgment Advice	AAP	The Herald Sun
10 May 2005	Mentally ill missing out on help, says AMA	Danielle Cronin	The Canberra Times

8.9 STATE / TERRITORY FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Table 8.9: State / Territory Funding Announcements 2004/05

S/T	Amount	Date of Announcement	Details of Announcement
ACT	$610,000	May 2005	Awarded to University of Canberra to operate a Centre for Health, Promotion and Wellbeing over 3 years
NSW	-	April 2005	Strategy to recruit 400 mental health nurses in NSW. 150 in 2005 building to a target of 400 in 2006
	$13.8 million	April 2005	Program to provide disability support to 460 people across the state with a mental illness.
	Four new 20 bed sub-acute mental health units	February 2005	Funded from the $241 million to enhance mental health services as announced in the April 2005 budget.
	$68 million real increase	February 2005	$783 million dedicated to mental health services in 2005 up from $715 million the previous year. All money seems to be allocated to beds and not community services.
	$1.6 million	August 2004	New acute 8 bed paediatric in-patient ward at The Children's Hospital at Westmead
NT	Extra $1.5 million for MH services	May 2005	Extra $1.5 million per year for MH services. This is a repeated commitment from the previous year. Funding breakdown includes $200,000 for improved 24 hr emergency response and $350,000 for four extra rural child and adolescent psychiatrist positions
	$1.2 million	May 2005	For community based residential facilities in Darwin and Alice Springs for 24 hour support for those with a mental illness.
		October 2004	Launch of animated indigenous character and mental health seminar
		October 2004	Launch of 'Mind your Mind kit' to promote positive youth mental health.
	$1.5	June 2004	Extra $1.5 million per year for MH services reported.
	$490,000	April 2004	$490,000 over three years to help those with a mental disorder access individual rehab programs.
QLD	$63,000	October 2004	New money from Qld Health for Mental illness Fellowship of Nth Qld ' Family Participation Program
QLD	$6.9 Million	July 2004	Funding for community organisations for new and expanded mental health services
SA	$80 million	March 2004	Mental health building program for 3 new 20 bed specialist community rehab facilities. To be completed by the end of 2007
SA	$13 million recurrent funds and $56 million over five years	August 2004	Announcement of audit on State's MH Act. $13 million in new funding and $56 million to support residential facilities in the community.
TAS	$47 Million over 3 years	November 2004	To be used for; 62 packages of care to support clients living in the community new 12 bed cluster house new 12 bed high support community facility $3.78m to drive quality and safety reform $4.52 upgrade of existing govt and non-govt facilities and services.
		April 2005	Govt announcement that offenders with acute mental illness will be managed within secure mental health units rather than prison.
		April 2005	Govt announcement that it has accepted all 26 recommendations from the Ward 1E report in mental health facilities conducted by the Health complaints commissioner.
VIC	$180 million and some new money	April 2005	Govt announces extra money for crisis assessment teams, rebuilding of Bunjil House and building a 50 bed facility at Maroondah hospital
	$9.45 million	March 2005	Govt announces that work on the new $9.45 million adult acute inpatient unit and specialist MHS at Austin hospital had begun.
	$8 million	December 2003	Govt announces that work on the new $8 million community MH facility at Traralgon would commence by the end of the year. Will take 12 months to construct and 80 staff based there will service a 14 bed community care unit.
	$200,000	October 2004	Govt announces that 5 separate rural health services would each receive $40,000 to improve consultation-liaison psychiatry services.
	$483,870	October 2004	Govt announces that new early psychosis services in Hume and Loddon Mallee will receive $483,870 for five additional clinical positions. Govt announces nearly $200 million in additional recurrent funding for MH since 1999 and $650 million would be provided in 2004.
	$447,000	September 2004	Govt announces that new early psychosis service has opened at Barwon
	$75,000	August 2004	Govt announces that a Young Persons' Psychiatric Disability and Rehabilitation support service in Wodonga would be strengthened.
		August 2005	Govt announces that a new ministerial advisory committee would be established.
		July 2004	Govt announces frontline feedback to the Government could assist in how the Govt spend an additional $15 million on rural MH services
	$500,000	June 2004	Govt announces opening of a new mental health service in Flemington. The service is an 8 bed community mental health facility.
	$1.1 million	March 2004	Govt announces opening of a new country 'mid way house' for those with mental illness located at Shepparton in the Goulburn Valley .
	$500,000	March 2004	Govt announces opening of a new high dependency unit in Dandenong.
	$200,000	March 2004	Govt announces 3 hospitals to share funding for new obstetric consultation liaison psychiatry service for new mothers.
	$126,000	March 2004	Govt announces Seniors in Victoria with a serious mental illness will be able to access an $126,000 in social and recreational support.
	$1.5 million	January 2004	Govt announces new money for mental health beds in Sunshine, Burwood East and Melbourne .
WA	$173 million	October 2004	Govt announces establishment of a Mental Health Advisory Group to oversee the implementation of the Govt's $173 million mental health strategy.
	$173 million	October 2004	Govt announces $173 million mental health strategy. This includes $65m - 113 new impatient beds and 425 new staff 420 extra community beds $23.6m for specialist MH teams in emergency departments $11m for MHS targeting school aged children $8.7m to improve safety for MH staff
		November 2004	Govt announces allocation of $700,000 from the Govt's $173 million mental health strategy to the beyondblue to raise awareness of the issue of depression in WA.