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WORKING WITH
CALD YOUNG PEOPLE
EDAC has been involved in developing
an innovative one day training workshop on ‘Working
with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD)
Young People’ to be launched in 2003.
The training was developed in response
to consultations during Mental Health Week 2001 with
mainstream youth and ethnic services which indicated
a strong demand for training on models of best practice,
knowledge and skills for working with CALD youth in
WA.
The training workshop includes comprehensive
information and activities exploring:
-
Definitions of cultural and linguistic
diversit
-
Racism in Australia and the Racial
Discrimination Act
-
Intersections of identity and
oppression
-
Psychological development of adolescents
-
Family and community factors for
new migrants and refugees
-
Culturally sensitive service provision.
Development of the training module has
been a collaborative effort by three young CALD workers
- Fiona Pui San Whittaker, Project Officer, Ethnic
Disability Advocacy Centre, Daniela Incorvaia, Senior
Clinical Psychologist, Youthlink and Farah Zarrandio,
CSSS Refugee Youth Worker/Counsellor, Catholic Migrant
Centre.
For more information contact Fiona on
9388 7455 or admin@edac.org.au
REVIEW OF THE
MENTAL HEALTH ACT AND CRIMINAL ACT
Jenny Au Yeong has been appointed to
the Stakeholder Committee reviewing the Mental Health
Act 1996 and Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants)
Act 1996, to represent culturally and linguistically
diverse communities.
The review will assess the effectiveness of the Mental
Health Review Board; the Council of Official Visitors;
the Mentally Impaired Defendants Review Board; and
related issues.
The committee will collate information, identify major
issues and guide the formation of recommendations.
Community feedback and consultations will be incorporated
into a report to be presented to the Minister for
Health and Attorney General by June 2003.
To give your input to the review, contact
Jenny Au Yeong on (08) 9388 7455 or
jauyeong@edac.org.au
MENTAL HEALTH ACT AND NESB ISSUES FORUM
Twenty-five ethnic consumers and service providers
participated in a forum organized by EDAC on the Mental
Health Act and NESB issues, in January 2003. Selva
Stenross from the Mental Health Law Centre (MHLC)
gave an overview of the Act and the role of the MHLC
in representing clients.
The MHLC can assist mental health consumers
who are involuntary patients placed on a treatment
order, in hospital or on a community treatment order
where they must receive psychiatric treatment and
medication. All consumers have a right to a review
of their status and the MHLC provides free consultation
and legal representation at the Mental Health Review
Board Hearing. Consumers can lodge an application
for review of their status every 28 days, however
because of limited resources the MHLC can only represent
clients every 6 months. The MHLC can also assist with
issues under the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Defendants)
Act (CLMIDA) and guardianship.
The group discussion raised key concerns
regarding the rights of NESB mental health consumers.
These included:
- Patients may be unaware they are entitled to
an interpreter or think they have to pay;
- The use of an interpreter by professionals to
make diagnosis must be mandatory;
- Translators and interpreters need training on
disability and psychiatric issues;
- The right to free legal advice and mandatory
legal representation paid by the State should
be stated in the Act;
- Consumers should be told about their right to
a review in person, when they are fully aware
and alert, instead of relying on written information;
- A copy of the explanation of Act and rights
should be provided to the carer;
- Client records accessed under the Freedom of
Information (FOI) Act should be provided within
a legislated time frame. This should allow adequate
time for translation of psychiatric reports and
legal consultation with the consumer before the
Review hearing;
- ‘Suitably qualified persons’ permitted
to view client records under FOI must be defined
in the Act to avoid confusion;
- Consumers rights to private consultation needs
to be ensured, particularly in community settings;
- The right of patient to be assessed by a second
psychiatrist is dubious as psychiatrists are unlikely
to criticize their peers;
- Consumers should be represented in decisions
to use electro convulsive therapy treatment;
- More government funding is needed for advocacy
services for NESB mental health consumers; and
- Discharge planning and referral to community
support networks needs to be improved.
Ethical guidelines for conduct in working
with CALD and Indigenous people developed by the Australian
Psychological society were discussed as a useful framework
to include in the MHA. The guidelines cover mandatory
assessment of cultural competency. Guidelines are
available at the APS website www.psychsociety.com.au
For further information on the Review
of the Mental Health Act and CLMIDA visit www.health.wa.gov.au/mhareview/
You can contact the Review Office at ReviewofMHA@health.wa.gov.au
or 9222 5440
Closing date for submissions is 28th
February.
For more information on the Mental Health
Law Centre contact:
Phone: 9328 8266 Freecall: 1800 620 285
217 Beaufort St, Perth
NESB CARERS
CONSULTATIONS
EDAC has received a development project grant from
the Disability Services Commission to conduct consultations
with non-English speaking background carers.
The focus groups will explore the response
of Health, Disability and Aged Care service providers
to the special needs of NESB carers. This will encompass
issues for primary carers, families and friends.
The project aims to:
- Identify needs, potential and existing barriers
for NESB carers
- Increase awareness of NESB carers’ role
and experiences
- Evaluate the adequacy of services to NESB carers
- Provide strategies and recommendations to enhance
access and effectiveness of services for NESB
carers.
The project will involve focus group
consultations with NESB carers and service providers
in Perth, Kalgoorlie and Broome.
If you are caring for a family member
or friend with a disability, we would like to hear
from you. Phone Eversley Ruth, Project Consultant,
on (08) 9388 7455 or 0409 721 196.
RESEARCH ON
WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The Lotteries Commission has funded
a collaborative project by EDAC, People with Disabilities
(WA) and the Edith Cowan Centre for Social Research.
The funding, presented by the Hon. Graham Giffard
MLA on July 25, was the result of a two year process
spearheaded by EDAC.
EDAC held an initial forum on Domestic
Violence Issues for People with Disabilities in May
2000, which explored experiences and needs of consumers,
carers and services. An Issues paper was developed
from the workshops, addressing specific factors for
CALD communities, women and people with disabilities.
Jenny Au Yeong, Executive Officer of
EDAC, subsequently established and chaired an interagency
committee to continue developing strategies to combat
domestic violence and raise community awareness of
additional factors affecting women with disabilities
and CALD communities. Agencies represented on the
committee included the Transcultural Mental Health
Centre, PWD WA, Disability Services Commission, Women’s
Refuge Group WA, regional Domestic Violence Action
Groups and Communicare.
Jenny Au Yeong said it was evident from
the beginning that the committee needed to utilise
in depth research to examine issues for women with
disabilities in WA to affect social change.
“The needs and concerns of ethnic
women with disabilities are often marginalised by
mainstream agencies. We hope that this research will
provide agencies with clear directions to improve
the accessibility and relevance of their services,
and empower women with disabilities to break free
from the cycle of violence.
“A key priority of EDAC is to ensure
that the voices and realities of ethnic women, families,
carers and communities are heard and incorporated
in the research. We encourage women who are willing
to share their experiences of domestic violence to
contact us, and we will maintain confidentiality at
all times,” said Ms Au Yeong.
For further details phone Jenny Au Yeong
on (08) 9388 7455
NESB MENTAL
HEALTH CONSUMER CONSULTATION
In 2002 EDAC undertook a NESB mental
health consumer consultation in partnership with the
National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA) and the
Australian Transcultural Mental Health Network (ATMHN).
Eleven consumers contributed to meetings with EDAC
staff, from Indian, Macedonian, Romanian, Polish,
Italian and Sri Lankan backgrounds.
Key issues raised included:
- Lack of awareness by NESB people of mental health
services available
- Fear of being labeled, ostracized, isolated
or cut off from the community
- Having a wrong diagnosis or treatment by a
health professional
- Lack of translated information and referral
options
- Long waiting lists and distances to access
appropriate services
Suggested solutions were:
- Mandatory cross-cultural awareness training
of staff
- Increased community education on mental health
issues through media campaigns
- Greater consumer involvement in managing mental
health projects
- Stronger partnerships between mental health
agencies, service providers and NESB communities
- Coordinated consumer advocacy on a local, state
and national level.
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CARER'S
PERSPECTIVE
Carers Week was celebrated on 20-26th
October 2002. EDAC held a
workshop on self-care and meditation, with funding
from the Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre.
Thankam Abraham gave her perspective
as a carer on the theme 'A Week for the Strong.'
Who is a carer? A carer is someone
who provides care and support to another person
who cannot manage even the simple tasks of daily
living. It could be a parent, partner, child or
a friend who has a disability or illness for whom
we are caring. Caring often involves assistance
physical, emotional, psychological and financial
management areas. Often we have to be the care recipient's
voice for all his/her hopes and aspirations, duties
and ambitions. Our inner being has to be connected
to the person to represent him/her rightly to the
outside world.
How did we happen to be in the caring role? It is
not a career for us. We did not choose to be carers.
We were thrown into the situation - to take care
of our loved ones as the need arose. Some are thrown
in at the deep end - 24hrs of caring feeding, bathing,
dressing, transferring and tucking into bed, then
keeping vigilant watch throughout the night. It
is physically exhausting and emotionally draining.
It is never-ending, carers are not even able to
pause. Very often we meet hardships, difficulties
and frustrations galore. We have sacrificied our
ambitions and desire for worldy success and acclaim.
Immersed in our caring, we do not take time to ponder
our role as carers or even whether we are qualified
to meet the responsibilities of that role. We persevere
and don't give up.
As you all know, many families were thrown into
the role of caring quite unexpectedly by the tragic
events of October 13th (Bali bombings). Many turned
into carers of burned and injured victims. Disaster
victims, accident victims all need caring. Some
caring roles are short-lived whilst others are prolonged
and some, like ours, is life-long. Our main task
is to ensure our loved ones enjoy a great quality
of life as we can make it to be.
Carers neglect their own needs as there are always
more pressing concerns of the care recipient. Then
of course there are the needs of the rest of the
family - parents, partner and the rest of the siblings.
Life is full of challenges. We juggle with trying
to fit it in all that is demanded of us, causing
physical exhaustion and emotional drain.
Carers are often capable, enterprising, resilient
people who are always in the forefront wanting to
achieve the best from life for their unfortunate
sons and daughters. Therefore to admit that we need
help, we are not able to cope or to say "I'm
tired, sad, lonely or frustrated" is not appropriate.
We feel we will be looked down upon as a failure.
All too often there is no-one to turn to. You carry
on ignoring the warning signs. Stresses and strain
develop… then breakdown, depression, collapse.
How can we avoid reaching that point. Statistics
show that the mortality of carers in any age group
is 63% higher than the norm. Similarly amongst those
who suffer back injuries, carers rate 40% higher
than the norm.
The theme for Carers Week is 'A Week for the Strong.'
We are strong, but let us not forget that we are
vulnerable human beings. We need to help ourselves.
We need to take care of ourselves. Others need to
realize that we also need to be loved, pampered
and freed from the responsibility of the caring
role for at least short periods to revitalize and
re-energise ourselves. Self care and wise management
of our inner resources will ensure the peace and
happiness of the person you are caring for. First
of all develop a sense of humour; always look at
the bright side of things; arrange to take compulsory
short breaks; have a pet at home to give you a diversion;
put in place support networks of family and friends
who you can call upon in times of emergency; and
lastly keep a list of outside services and help
available handy.
It's a long road ahead. Let us try and keep ourselves
strong for the sake of the weaker one in our care.
Our role is unique, fulfilling and immeasurably
rewarding!!
