Page 3709 - Week 12 - Thursday, 22 November 2007
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with particular reference to the flexibility of criteria in gaining access to public housing; support mechanisms for people who currently live in public housing; opportunities to involve non-government stakeholders in the provision of appropriate housing; the feasibility of alternate support-based housing models and any other matter. The standing committee’s report was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on 7 June 2007.
The government’s response to this report was tabled in the Assembly on 18 October 2007. It makes 15 recommendations and the government agrees, or agrees in principle, to seven of those recommendations. The government noted eight recommendations as there is a range of program and policy initiatives already underway which meet the terms of these recommendations. The government did not disagree with any of the recommendations. Mrs Burke suggested that the government did disagree with one, but she is mistaken—and not for the first time.
At that time I commended the standing committee for its consideration of the complex and challenging issues of identifying appropriate accommodation options for people living with mental illness and their families. I would like once again to acknowledge the work of the committee and, of course, the range of stakeholders who provided input into the inquiry process. In doing this, I give particular thanks to the mental health consumers and their carers who participated in the inquiry.
The standing committee report identifies three classifications of people with mental illness: those who manage their condition and accommodation without formal assistance; those who require ongoing institutional care; and those who can live and work within the community with the appropriate support mechanisms. In its response the government has recognised children and young people who may have a mental illness or an intellectual disability or be living with parents that have a mental illness as particularly vulnerable community members.
People who do not require formal support to live and manage within the community are the majority of people with mental illness, although we must acknowledge that their lives would benefit from more community based supports to assist them to manage their illness and accommodation. The standing committee report and, as a consequence, the government’s response focuses on people who are able to live and work with proper support in the community but are unable to obtain accommodation, either through the social or private housing markets or via home ownership. For these people, finding suitable accommodation becomes a critical component of managing their mental illness. Equally important to maintaining their wellbeing is access to the necessary support to maintain their individual wellbeing, thus allowing them to live, contribute and participate fully within their community.
The ACT government’s response to the standing committee report confirms its commitment to the delivery of effective, efficient and responsive health and support services. These services play a vital role in maintaining the fabric of our community and in supporting people who experience mental illness. Access to, and maintenance of, suitable accommodation, and mental health support services are interrelated for people with mental illness. The stability of one can directly determine a person’s ability to access and manage the other. Appropriate support to assist people to manage
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