Fed: PM gives his view on reasons for mental health crisis

AAP General News (Australia)
02-10-2006
Fed: PM gives his view on reasons for mental health crisis

CANBERRA, Feb 10 AAP - A decades-old policy of closing mental hospitals without adequate
facilities to care for their patients is behind Australia's mental health crisis, Prime
Minister John Howard says.

Mr Howard also believes a growing tendency to dismiss the harmful effects of marijuana
use is a factor in a crisis highlighted in recent times by the trend for people to talk
about their problems.

Mr Howard and state leaders agreed at a Council of Australian Government's meeting
today to pour more funds into dealing with the problem of mental health.

Experts have been given until June to develop a blueprint on how to reform the mental
health system.

"We will by not later than June ... have from our officials an assessment of individual
areas of change and reform needed in mental health," Mr Howard said.

Governments have gradually been acknowledging the growing need for mental health services
over the years and it was one of the big ticket items at the 2004 election.

Mr Howard says mental health has become such a focus because of problems that have
developed over the decades.

One factor is the policy of closing large mental health institutions and placing patients
back in the community.

"I think we made big mistakes in the 1960s when we ... thought the solution was to
close the institutions," Mr Howard said.

"I don't think we provided an adequate bridge between the institutionalisation of the
past and the realities of people being out of institutions."

Mr Howard repeated his belief that marijuana use was a big contributor to mental illness.

"I think at least a generation of Australians were too passive about the consequences
of illicit drug use," he said.

Changing community attitudes had also played a role.

"I think that modern life has produced more mental illness but finally and more importantly
it's something people talk about more," Mr Howard said.

"One of the great changes that's occurred in modern society is that people verbalise
and externalise their problems, particularly men, more than they used to.

"Maybe the reality is there was a lot more mental illness years ago but we didn't know
about it, we didn't talk about it, because somehow or the other it wasn't the right thing
to do and you just have to get on with life.

"Sometimes it's still not a bad idea for some people to be told that they should get
on with life but it's also a reality ... that mental illness is a huge problem and there
is nothing to be gained by pretending otherwise."

AAP so/sb/jt/bwl

KEYWORD: COAG MENTAL HOWARD LEAD

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