Ozein60s

What suggestions do you have to ensure the safety of the main stream public from these people entering homes without disclosure.?

Or do you feel this is unimportant and we should all just risk it?

Do you think perhaps the staff should be putting their time to better use?

Do you think its a good practise to teach the patient to be dishonest about their mental illness?

Would you suggest perhaps that the mental health staff where they pick up their meth were doubled for eg?

Perhaps the ones that have mental health due to substance abuse which is a very high number should be kept seperate from main stream for example.

Far stricker laws for drug users and of course dealers as well perhaps

There is a very real culture in the courts that if you tell your worship that you couldnt help it your `worship because` you have a drug problem you walk.

This encourages even more problems and over crowds the hospital and mental health services by every man and his dog being sent to the units for treatment or` counciling`

What do you think about an ID card for people with mental illness to be used when seeking accomadation?

Dear "People..."

What suggestions do I have to ensure the safety of the main stream public from these people entering homes without disclosure? First off, who are "these people". It sounds like you had a terrible experience. My suggestion is keep safe.
What we know is that a person who is not violent before a break-down is not going to be violent during?
There remains paralyzing stigma to mental illness. It has been and remains a condition which we don't talk about and therefore much of what is incorrect and totally not useful.

You ask, "Do I think 'its a good practise to teach the patient to be dishonest about their mental illness?'" I don't think anyone should put themselves in an unsafe situation. As you said, "these people", you lumped everyone into a single category. This is most unfair, to you and to anyone struggling with these illnesses. There is a big difference between a person on meth, and a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder. It would be unfair for you to make conclusions without sufficient information.

"Far stricker laws for drug users and of course dealers as well perhaps". Laws are important but what is needed is a comprehensive approach, including "mental health courts" with specialize enforcement back-up. We must decriminalize illness, and at the same time insist on treatment and scheduled appearances before the mental health court in order to commute a sentence.
Treatment works.
About the id, why not just have an "A" embroidered on their chest?

Ozein60s

You should never jump to conclusions Oz. I just walked in from doing my Sunday thingy. I shop and pay for a weeks supply of groceries including cigerates for a lady with a mental health problem.
I have done that for the last eight years ever since my Dad befriended a neighbour.
Before that I employed a young man whos mother passed away and just a few days after his little job cutting up cardboard boxes was taken from him. That was his whole life.!

Martin worked here for five years and now proudly runs the shopping center trolly collections. Well he thinks he runs it anyway so thats ok.
Before that I gave a year to supervise [unpaid]

However probably what you were not aware of is the staff at mental hospitals are under preshure to make beds available because of political preshure.

Its totally dishonest to buy these people a paper and tell them to apply for live in housekeeping or accomadation in a persons home without! disclosing they have a mental problem.

Stay Safe you say. Heck they have even supplied references in some cases for cooking.

My experience with the farm hand that provided wonderful references I might add.

He was great! with the horses and a good worker.

All was well until one night I felt a knife at my throat.

According to the police they could do nothing.

They said there were no proof and besides even if they took him and charged him he was by law able to return! to my property
.
I had to put up with him living there until I could get him into court.
The mental health people by the way who dishonestly brought him our property didnt want to know about it.

Oh and the lady housekeeper whom was also driven! by the Robbina Mental Health staff was even worse.

I dont know the answer. I was thinking you might.

Perhaps something on the medi care card.

People,

Sounds like you try to do the right thing and got stung in the past.

Stay safe: lock doors, listen to your instincts, keep an exit path in any situation, watch for signs of impending rage: enlarged neck veins, sweating, glaring, etc. As in a fire, "get out".

Smoking: nicotine treats mental illness and is a dangerous "street drug". 88% of people with schizophrenia smoke compared to 33% of the general population. The nicotine releases norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain which relieve symptoms. Much safer medications are available and one should be encouraged to seek medical help.

A recent study into the relationship of insight, medication compliance and personal support found that while 50% of ill participants had no insight as to their illness, however 97% could follow treatment if they had one person in their life that they would listen to, even trust. That person could be a friend, relative, teacher, minister, anyone.

You ask how to be safe, and not in the precarious position that you found yourself. You want information, like an id. Let me suggest that getting information about the illnesses, their treatment and how to respond may go a long way toward "real" safety.

These illnesses have been hush-hush for so long, like TB, and cancer, and others. It is time for us to join together to end this silence and find a solution. Australia is a wealthy nation. If there is the will, homelessness can be a thing of the past. People who suffer from mental illness can have comprehensive treatment. When treated on all fronts, medical, educational, vocational, they can expect that 75% will return to their livelihood. Those treating people with mental illnesses should not have to hold "bake sales" to get the services for their patients. They should know that the out of hospital facilities will be available.

And furthermore the 25% who are left with significant impairment should be cared for as well, honoring their human rights and dignity as we protect the rights and dignity of the whole population without exclusion.

With respect, OZ

With Respect

You seem to be a little too concerned about the people who have cooked their brains with Pot while holding no concern for the saftey of the public.

That mental health staff are just dropping these people on unsuspecting good people and putting "them" at risk.

No mention of that.

Thats ok with you is it?

How do you justify that?

You really expect people to>lock doors, listen to your instincts, keep an exit path in any situation, watch for signs of impending rage: enlarged neck veins, sweating, glaring, etc. "get out".

You expect me to live like that in my own home and others to esxpose their kids to that?

Oz says>
You ask how to be safe, and not in the precarious position that you found yourself. You want information, like an id.
Oz Says
"Let me suggest that getting information about the illnesses, their treatment and how to respond may go a long way toward "real" safety.'

Now you expect me and other familes to treat these people as well.
Oh thats after they find out they have a problem.
Considering their is no law forecing them to disclose that then I would assume you kmean after they are attacked like I was.

So where do you get your info anyway.

What are you on to dismiss such a serious problem pot?

Yes I want a bloody id card , or put it on their medi care card.

Why isnt my family free to expect to be safe in their OWN Homes?

As I said I dont have the answer but the Government better introduce an ID card for `these people` asap BEFORE somebody gets killed again.
I think the last was about three weeks ago when the boarder killed the baby.
I am not hard just practicle and pot heads are destroying this country along with hard drug users and i WONT expose my family to it.
nor should you expect the public to!

I wonder what that poor mother whos baby was hacked to death would say about an ID Card.

People.....,
Illicit drug use and sale is a serious public safety problem.
Mental illness is a different issue.
Dual diagnosis of drug addiction and mental illness occurs when predators get a hold of the vulnerable.
I share your concern for safety for all, but ask that you participate in finding a lasting solution, not using a shot-gun method and hoping we hit the target.
I praise those who want to base public policy on fact and emotion, not escalation of emotion.
Go in peace,
Oz....