Living with mental illness in Australia: Changes in policy and practice affecting mental health service consumers

The movement of large numbers of people from psychiatric hospitals in the 1960s changed the face of mental health services in Australia. This paper explores some of the issues facing people living with mental illness in the community today and the impact of social policy, legislative change and funding of services on their lives, with particular reference to New South Wales. The growth of support and advocacy groups in the 1970s and 1980s, and their role alongside psychologists and other health workers in bringing about change in the provision and type of mental health services, are examined. Opportunities for advocacy and real input into the quality of service provisions have increased, and many people living with disabilities are active in contributing to policy development and advocacy services. However, the level of funding of mental health services and the resources available to care for people living with mental illness in the community remain low and, in many cases, inadequate to provide proper quality care for people living with mental illness.