Wednesday, October 6, 2004

Deaths highlight need for more dedicated children¹s and young people's mental health services

The Office of the Children's Commissioner is calling for more dedicated children's and young people's mental health, drug and alcohol services.

The call comes following the Coroners Court inquest into the deaths of six people aged 15-27 years who died after sniffing solvents. School principals have told the Coroners Court about the struggle to find services for young people affected by drugs, alcohol and mental health issues.

A spokesperson for the Office of the Children's Commissioner Dr Mavis Duncanson says the acute shortage of services, and especially residential services, is a longstanding problem that needs to be addressed. Dr Duncanson says there is a growing need for dedicated services that understand the developmental needs of young people. These services need to include a range of expertise, including community health workers and nurses, she says.

"Young people have told the office of the trauma of not being able to access services. Young people have also talked about the high risk of suicide, as well as the need for services that are easy to access and confidential."

More transition services are also needed to return young people, who have experienced acute mental health episodes or addiction, back to the community, Dr Duncanson says.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>