MENTAL HEALTH COMMISSION REPORTS VALUABLE

The Ministers of Health and Social Services today welcomed the latest Mental Health Commission discussion documents, which back the need for programmes like the Government's Strengthening Families policy.

"We are making big progress in improving the circumstances for those with mental illness. There is more awareness of mental illness, more resources, services and support for them and their families.

"An important part of helping people with mental illness with their recovery includes housing and employment."

The Ministers said their agencies were working together to help people with mental illness live better lives.

"There can always be improvements, and our agencies will be discussing with the Mental Health Commission other ways of working together collaboratively on all these areas.

"The housing report identifies a number of accommodation issues and we have instructed the Ministry of Social Policy to identify priorities and develop an interagency work programme to address them.

"There are no single answers, but we support the concept of a collaborative inter-agency approach to solving the special accommodation needs of people recovering from mental illness. "

There have been increases in supported housing for people with mental illness. The number of properties supplied by Community Housing Limited for people with psychiatric disabilities has increased by 90% in less than 4 years 259 properties or 786 beds in September 1995 to 494 properties or 1343 beds in June 1999.

"Part of the problem for agencies delivering housing services is identifying people in serious need. A number of new initiatives already underway which aim to improve this. They include the Community Housing Limited Advisory Service pilot in Auckland and Housing New Zealand's Access Facilitation Service pilot in Auckland.

"The Social Policy Agency in association with other housing agencies has a wide ranging work programme on access and the relationship between housing and health.

"Having a job is also important. Many of the points raised in the Mental Health Commission's report on employment have been taken into account in the development of the Work Capacity Assessment policy. One of the aims of this policy is to help people into paid work to the fullest extent of their capacity.

"Liaison and consultation with the Mental Health Commission will continue The Ministers noted there were a range of services available specifically for people with disabilities including wage subsidies, training support, Self Start, Job Support."