Decades ago psychiatrists condemned the state's mental health institutions, insisting that patients would better respond to treatment if they were outside high walls and living in the community.
It was proposed that facilities be made available to meet these objectives - and so the mental institutions closed and a new order dawned. Unfortunately the government reneged on the promised help - and those with mental problems were cast adrift to find their own way in an uncaring society. It seems that the gaol regime is the new mental health system.
Now the reverse is being proposed for those with physical disabilities.
In past years a very successful system of " group homes " was established for those with disabilities. This was flexible and ordinary domestic houses were home to several people with difficulties, sometimes with a " house mother " to exercise control - and often with the combined skills of the people living there handling the job.
The state government is now proposing abandoning this system in favour of large institutions housing a great number of people. Obviously these would be cheaper to run than scattered facilities - but they would create an " institutional " feel and destroy the " home " atmosphere that is so necessary to let people with disabilities get on with their lives.
Unfortunately in this age of " doing more with less " anything that results in a decrease in expenditure usually gets the nod - despite the damage it will do to the lives of those who most need help - and despite the fact that the present system is a success.
It seems that we are to return to an era of high walls - with those the government does not wish us to see locked away out of sight !
No comments:
Post a Comment