1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,280 Speaker 1: Well, we know that this Friday is World Mental Health 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: Day and a new campaign from the Mental Illness Fellowship 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:10,160 Speaker 1: of Australia is putting the spotlight on a major gap 4 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: in care, with nearly seven in ten people living with 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: severe mental illness missing out on any form of community support. 6 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: Here in the Northern Territory. Many are ending up in 7 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:25,920 Speaker 1: emergency departments because they simply have nowhere else to go. Now, 8 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: joining me on the line is Tony Stevenson, the National 9 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:34,479 Speaker 1: CEO of the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia. Hi, Tony, 10 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: how are you? 11 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:37,879 Speaker 2: Yeah? Well, thank you Katie, thank. 12 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:40,840 Speaker 1: You so much for your time this morning. Now, Tony, 13 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: your new campaign really highlights a pretty alarming figure that 14 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 1: nearly seven in ten people are living well living with 15 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:53,200 Speaker 1: a severe mental illness in Australia aren't getting any kind 16 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: of community support. What's going on here. 17 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 2: It's absolutely it's a very very discerning development actually, and 18 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 2: look for the Northern Territory. That equates to about four 19 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 2: and a half thousand people with a severe and complex 20 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 2: mental illness. So people who really need to support living 21 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:22,839 Speaker 2: in the community. We can help people stay well, stay 22 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 2: connected to family, be safe in their community. If we 23 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 2: have the support from the Northern Territory and federal governments 24 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 2: to get more services on the ground. 25 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: Tony, it just feels like at the moment we don't 26 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: have enough. I mean, you've said that many people in 27 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:44,040 Speaker 1: the Northern Territory are ending up in hospital departments because 28 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 1: they feel that they have nowhere else to run, I mean, 29 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: or to turn, I should say, I mean, we like 30 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: even earlier this morning, we were speaking to the Northern 31 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: Territory Health Minister about some other health issues and about 32 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 1: a lack of beds more generally across the Northern Territory. 33 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 1: And when you look at you know, at I guess 34 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: different support for territories with mental health needs. You know, 35 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: when you're in the emergency department, that's like that's your 36 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 1: last resort. 37 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 2: Right it is. It is the last resort, and without 38 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:18,680 Speaker 2: the support in the community. You know, our support can 39 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 2: help people just stay well for longer. You know. It's 40 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 2: support around stable housing, it's connection with family, it's you know, 41 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 2: for people to feel safe to be in and around 42 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 2: their community, to leave their home, that they understand and 43 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 2: have the support around their daily living needs. They're eating well, 44 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 2: they're looking after themselves, all of that support which happens 45 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 2: in their own home and in their own community, that 46 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 2: actually prevents people from getting to the point where their 47 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 2: mental health condition just escalates out of control and the 48 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 2: only option that god is to go to hospital, and 49 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 2: hospitals just can't deal with that demand. 50 00:02:57,440 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: So what do we need to do? I mean right 51 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:04,119 Speaker 1: around us by the look of things, but particularly here 52 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: in the Northern. 53 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 2: Territory, Well, we need the Northern Territory government and the 54 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 2: federal government to come together and finally strike an agreement 55 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 2: around how they're going to deal with this particular issue. 56 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 2: The federal and state and territory health ministers have been 57 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 2: meeting to discuss a plan. They commissioned this national report 58 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:31,920 Speaker 2: and that's where we found two hundred and thirty thousand 59 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 2: people around Australia four and a half thousand people in 60 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 2: the Northern Territory missing out on this support. So they've 61 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 2: got the report, they've got the data they need. It 62 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 2: is a shared responsibility between the state, territory federal ministers. 63 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 2: They just haven't taken the concrete steps they need to 64 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 2: to demonstrate that they're going to do something about this issue. 65 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: And I mean, Tony, like we understand that you did 66 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: all viously that funding needs to go into mental health 67 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: support and those different services. I mean, what is the 68 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: impact if it doesn't and when it doesn't, well. 69 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 2: People with severe mental illness also have severe physical health 70 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:19,239 Speaker 2: problems as well. People are actually dying twenty three years 71 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 2: younger than the general population. Just you know, of course, 72 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 2: the risk of homelessness is very high, actual homelessness, the 73 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 2: risk of ending up in prison, all of these things 74 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 2: are there for people with severe mental illness if they're 75 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:41,280 Speaker 2: not getting support. But it's actually the physical health deterioration 76 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 2: that leads to early death and a very high rate 77 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 2: of suicide. So there is so much more that we 78 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 2: can do that in the long term will prevent the 79 00:04:54,640 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 2: government's high expenditures around mental health and physical health. Keep 80 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:03,919 Speaker 2: people well and safe in their own community and be 81 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 2: connected to family and community. Then they're going to be 82 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 2: better off and governments are going to save money in 83 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 2: the long term. 84 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:14,359 Speaker 1: We know tomorrow is obviously World Mental Health Day, and 85 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: it is such an important day. How do you hope 86 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 1: that you know, people listening this morning might sort of 87 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:24,280 Speaker 1: reflect on World Mental Health Day and you know what 88 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: they may do. 89 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 2: Well, firstly, I think it's so important to just take 90 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:32,359 Speaker 2: a note of your own mental health and how are 91 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 2: you're traveling, and take steps to reach out and get help. 92 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 2: If there's someone that you care for, perhaps in your family, 93 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 2: in your community, or even new workplace that you're concerned about, 94 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 2: encourage them to reach out. We would do that without hesitation. 95 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:54,840 Speaker 2: If somebody has a physical health problem, we need to 96 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 2: extend the same approach and the same compassion around mental 97 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 2: health as well. 98 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: Yes, spot on, You know, I always think that to myself. 99 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: I think if somebody is diagnosed with a serious health issue, 100 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:11,880 Speaker 1: you know, we, like you've just touched on, we do 101 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:13,680 Speaker 1: all we can to try to help them when it 102 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 1: comes to mental health. You know, I just wonder when 103 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,039 Speaker 1: we are going to get to the point where you know, 104 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 1: where our system, ourselves, everybody treats people, you know, the 105 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:24,799 Speaker 1: same way. 106 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 2: That's right, and often some of these really severe mental 107 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 2: health conditions they just happen without any warning, you know it. 108 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 2: Schizophrenia can happen to around two to three percent of 109 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:40,479 Speaker 2: the population. Generally happens around late adolescents, earlier adulthood. We 110 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 2: don't have any warning about that. As families, but it 111 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 2: is so difficult to be able to talk about those 112 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,600 Speaker 2: issues because of the stigma that still exists. 113 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:54,119 Speaker 1: Tony. It's really interesting there that you did speak about 114 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,920 Speaker 1: adolescents as well. And you know, I hear quite a 115 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,719 Speaker 1: bit here in the Northern Territory from parents of you know, 116 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 1: of teenagers of older sort of teenagers saying Katie, there's 117 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: just not really the need or the not sorry, not 118 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 1: the support that they need and they don't really know 119 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: where to turn or what to do. 120 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right. Look, we have got a great website 121 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 2: with a lot of information about where people can go 122 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 2: to get support, particularly for young people, for example, from Headspace. 123 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 2: So look, we do encourage people now to connect for 124 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 2: their mental health and to connect to the resources available. 125 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 2: Our website is finding North dot org dot au. We've 126 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 2: got great resources there, but we've also got a safe 127 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 2: online platform for people with their own first hand experience 128 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 2: of their mental health condition. They may not know what 129 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 2: to do or where to go. There are other people 130 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 2: going through their recovery taking those steps, telling their stories. 131 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 2: So that is a great way. Yeah, that sort of 132 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 2: understanding and confidence and hope and optimism, you know that 133 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 2: there is something that you can do. And Jim, lastly, 134 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 2: if I can. We also have launched a petition on 135 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 2: that website finding North dot org. Are you on the petition. 136 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 2: We want as many people as possible to sign up 137 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 2: because we're going to take that petition into federal Parliament 138 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 2: next month. We need to demonstrate to the government that 139 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 2: the community expects more and they're right behind us when 140 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:42,239 Speaker 2: we advocate for more funding for community mental health services. 141 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 1: Good on you, Tony. Thank you so very much for 142 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 1: your time this morning. I really appreciate it, and I 143 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: know a lot of our. 144 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 2: Listeners will yes, look thank you. It's great to get 145 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:53,079 Speaker 2: your support as well. 146 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 1: Thank you, Thanks so much.