Governments have an appalling history of protecting those with mental illnesses and it won't get any better for two reasons.

1) Governments are only interested in votes and few people with severe mental illness vote.

2) Governments hate those who, through misfortune or illness, find their way into the welfare system. These people neither pay taxes or contribute to the wealth of the Nation. In fact, they decrease the wealth of the Nation by remaining alive and sucking up taxpayer's money in the form of welfare payments.

This is how Governments thinks and this is evidenced by the fact that the disability pension will now only be paid to those were fortunate enough to be on it prior to a certain date. Those who became ill after that date go onto sickness benefits which has a monetary value far below that of the disability pension. Also, those who go off the disability pension for a certain time, then become ill again must go onto sickness benefits and the subsequent loss of financial support.

I work in the field of mental health and am continuously appalled on a daily basis by the lack of care this and previous Governments have shown to those whom they consider to be 'lesser citizens!'

Your comment, Aime, states it as it is. I add one further fact which exposes the determination of Victoria's government not to fund the seriously mentally ill (SMI)as they NEED to be funded.

The government paid several million dollars to the Boston Consulting Group in 2005, commissioning a report on the 'problem'of the SMI.

"Improving Mental Health Outcomes in Victoria: the next wave of reform", 2006, was an excellent report, going beyond economics and practicality to understanding and compassion. It set out, for the government, the real economies of caring for the seriously mentally ill in matters of psychotherapy and social therapy,specifically citing the necessity of decent housing. It demonstrated that caring well for our SMI would, in the longer term, give many more successful wage earners improving the state economy.It has been almost totally ignored.

Mental Health needs more than just money. The primary failure in the system is that person has not been prepared for life once an Involuntary Treatment Order has been revoked. A person does have access to a Clinical Psychologist who can conduct classes which will help the person to manage their illness. A good example are people who suffer from Schizophrenia Psychosis. One of the main problems for these people is, when feeling well they offer stop their medication. Thus they find themselves facing further periods in a Mental Health Unit. The other major problem is those who live in Regional Area they have very little if any at all, real services. Programs conducted by a Clinical Psychologist must be made a requirement that all people who have placed on a Involuntary Treatment Order must undergo. With out it, they will be caught up in the Revolving Door System, in and out of a Mental Health Unit.

One of the best articles on mental illness and the lack of support that I have read.