Posted April 20, 2015
In 2014, the Commonwealth government asked the National Mental Health Commission to review Australia’s mental health programs and services. Although the review was submitted in November 2014, the government has yet to release it or provide a formal response.
Posted October 15, 2014
Dissociative identity disorder (DID) continues to be a largely misunderstood – and sometimes controversial – mental illness. Lucy Adams shares her experience of living with the disorder. Colac woman Lucy Adams knew something was wrong when she noticed she was dropping out of her own life. “I used to lose time and I thought I … Continued
Posted October 3, 2014
A recent forum saw women with disabilities ask the three major parties contesting the Victorian State Election in November to answer questions around healthcare, equal access and violence against women. Women with Disabilities Victoria (WDV) has long been at the forefront of Systemic advocacy, ensuring that the voices of Victorian women with disabilities continue to … Continued
Posted July 25, 2014
The Health and Community Services Union has blamed the situation on a lack of state government services for disabled children. Staff at the Royal Children’s Hospital notified the union late last month of an autistic child who was aggressive and transferred to the hospital’s inpatient unit for mentally unwell adolescents, despite having no mental illness. … Continued
Posted October 25, 2013
Australian females with a disability are twice as likely to experience violence than other women. In many cases powerless to do anything to protect themselves, their experiences of violence will last over a longer period of time and will result in more severe injuries. The issue will be discussed at a national symposium at the … Continued
Posted October 21, 2013
Many disabled Victorians are being repeatedly assaulted and exploited because authorities do not have the appropriate power or expertise to investigate their cases, experts warn. State watchdogs say countless numbers of vulnerable people are facing even greater risk because current gaps in the system are preventing alleged crimes from being properly examined. In one recent … Continued
Posted August 23, 2013
A man with significant learning difficulties has been ordered to undergo a vasectomy to prevent him from having further children in a landmark legal ruling by the High Court. Mrs Justice Eleanor King, sitting in the Court of Protection, said there was “no question” of the 36-year-old having the mental capacity to use contraception and … Continued
Posted July 22, 2013
Families who take their disabled children overseas to be sterilised should face criminal charges, a parliamentary inquiry has recommended. For 10 months, senators have been weighing up human rights issues and the challenges faced by carers, while investigating reports some people with disabilities are being sterilised without informed consent. An upper house committee made 28 … Continued
Posted July 22, 2013
In recent months discussions about disability featured widely in the media. One issue however has been noticeably ignored. In the months before the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was launched on July 1, discussions about disability featured widely in the media. One issue however was ignored – the sex lives of the disabled. Sex and … Continued
Posted July 19, 2013
Most Australians, with the support of a doctor, are able to make an informed choice about having a vasectomy or tubal ligation. But if you have a significant intellectual disability, someone—a parent or guardian—can decide this for you. Concerns have been raised surrounding the legality of these procedures, particularly when guardians travel overseas for sterilisation … Continued
Posted July 5, 2013
When Stella Young was four years old, she broke her leg while on a family holiday in Adelaide. For Stella and her family, such an incident wasn’t uncommon. The disability advocate and editor of ABC’s Ramp Up was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a congenital condition more commonly – and crudely – known as brittle bone … Continued
Posted April 26, 2013
The state’s public advocate is calling for all prisoners to be routinely checked for all cognitive impairments, including acquired brain injuries and intellectual disabilities, when they enter jail. Colleen Pearce heads the independent body the Victorian government set up to protect the rights of people with a disability. She said it was critical to identify … Continued
Posted April 5, 2013
Parents of women with severe disabilities are being forced to take their daughters overseas for hysterectomies after their requests for the procedure were denied in Australia, a leading endocrinologist has told an inquiry into involuntary sterilisation. John Carter, the father of a 31-year-old daughter with a moderately severe intellectual disability, said laws on sterilisation can … Continued
Posted February 8, 2013
Parents of women with intellectual disabilities are going straight for sterilisation procedures rather than ”existing and viable options” to help control menstruation and contraception, a national Senate inquiry has heard. Associate Professor Sonia Grover, a gynaecologist at the Royal Children’s Hospital, told the hearing she was horrified when she received ”straight-out” requests for hysterectomies. She … Continued
Posted January 15, 2013
Acquired brain injury (ABI) is a common cause of disability among people of all ages. Disabilities related to ABI are often complex and may cause limitations in many areas of life. This bulletin examines ABI in Australia: its causes, the prevalence and severity of disability related to ABI, and the needs of people with ABI … Continued