12 February 1999 .. a web newsletter for psych. consumers in australia

Victoria's Mental Health Legal Centre is believed to have escaped the Kennett Government's axe -- for now at least -- in the wake of a bureaucratic review of the "effectiveness and efficiency" of Victoria's community legal centres which has put the future of many centres under a cloud.

A review commissioned by State Attorney General Mrs Jan Wade, and her federal counterpart is understood to have recommended a swathe of closures and amalgamations of community legal centres in various locations. Darebin Legal Service (northern region) is reported to face closure and a number of other community legal centres in the northern area of Melbourne are to be merged into a single regional centre.

The review report says the new merged "Super-Centre" would improve efficiency and client access to legal services in the region .. [Preston Post-Times February 3] .

However many critics of the moves say that the government's planned changes would hamper the services' local community responsiveness, ability to carry out vital work in the areas of social justice and rights advocacy, community legal education, law reform, social justice debates, and efforts to make the legal system more accessible to the community. They said government "economic rationalist" policies and the Centres' tendency to be outspoken on many issues may underlie the changes.

The Mental Health Legal Centre is understood to be able to maintain its current operations, but may be required to establish a "closer networking" relationship with two other disability law agencies, Villamanta and Dallas. A merger much futher down the track is apparently not ruled out.

Meantime the Mental Health Legal Centre has recently moved address to Level 4, 520 Collins St, Melbourne .. phone (03) 9629 4422.

The move, based on lower rental costs and State funding available for a "preferred" City location, has caused some concern among consumers, carers and service providers because of possible accessibility problems for some consumers posed by a City location.
... Report prepared by ALLAN PINCHES.

A consumer radio program on 2NVR FM aims to kick start mental health matters!! Every Monday morning for the last 2 years consumers have been broadcasting live programs dedicated to the promotion of mental health, increasing understanding and debunking myths and fears about mental illness in a rural community with limited services. 2NVR is an indigeneous station located in Bowraville NSW. ... FM 105.9.

It has taken a vast amount of courage by the presenters to speak publicly and sensitively on these mental health issues. Sessions are recorded to be available to people later.

Excerpts from a letter by Dr. Loren Mosher, who has resigned from the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Mosher was a pioneer in establishing programs of psychosocial community care in the field of psychiatry in the USA. {thanks Nick for this item}
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to: Rodrigo Munoz, M.D., President American Psychiatric Association
December 4 1998

Dear Rod, After nearly three decades as a member it is with a mixture of pleasure and disappointment that I submit this letter of resignation from the American Psychiatric Association. The major reason for this action is my belief that I am actually resigning from the American Psychopharmacological Association. Unfortunately, APA reflects, and reinforces, in word and deed, our drug dependent society. Yet, it helps wage war on drugs. Dual Diagnosis clients are a major problem for the field but not because of the good drugs we prescribe. Bad ones are those that are obtained mostly without a prescription. ...

At this point in history, in my view, psychiatry has been almost completely bought out by the drug companies. The APA could not continue without the pharmaceutical company support of meetings, symposia, workshops, journal advertising, grand rounds luncheons, unrestricted educational grants . ...

Psychiatric training reflects their influence as well; i.e., the most important part of a resident curriculum is the art and quasi-science of dealing drugs, i.e., prescription writing. These psychopharmacological limitations on our abilities to be complete physicians also limit our intellectual horizons. No longer do we seek to understand whole persons in their social contexts rather we are there to realign our patients' neurotransmitters. The problem is that it is very difficult to have a relationship with a neurotransmitter whatever its configuration. ..

Biologically based brain diseases are convenient for families and practitioners alike. It is no fault insurance against personal responsibility. We are just helplessly caught up in a swirl of brain pathology for which no one, except DNA, is responsible. ...

I view with no surprise that psychiatric training is being systemically disavowed by American medical school graduates. This must give us cause for concern about the state of today's psychiatry. ...

Finally, why must the APA pretend to know more than it does? DSM IV is the fabrication upon which psychiatry seeks acceptance by medicine in general. Insiders know it is more a political than scientific document. To its credit it says so, although its brief apologia is rarely noted. DSM IV has become a bible and a money making best seller - its major failings notwithstanding. It confines and defines practice, some takeit seriously, others more realistically. It is the way to get paid. ...

What do I recommend to the organization upon leaving after experiencing three decades of its history?

1.. To begin with, let us be ourselves. Stop taking on unholy alliances without the members' permission.

2.. Get real about science, politics and money. Label each for what it is - that is, be honest.

3.. Get out of bed with NAMI and the drug companies. APA should align itself, if one believes its rhetoric, with the true consumer groups, i. e., the ex-patients, psychiatric survivors etc.

4.. Talk to the membership; I can't be alone in my views.

We seem to have forgotten a basic principle: the need to be patient/client/consumer satisfaction oriented. I always remember Manfred Bleuler's wisdom: "Loren, you must never forget that you are your patient's employee." In the end they will determine whether or not psychiatry survives in the service marketplace.

Sincerely, Loren R. Mosher M. D.
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What is OZMAD? An E-mail discussion list. It promotes communication amongst Aussie cønsumers/ survivors/ ex-patients [CSX], and between them and the national cønsumer Network rep's. List members are preparing a new web site right now at www.vicnet.net.au/~ozmad.

To join OZMAD, see the current Web page at www.Madnation.org/ozmad.htm

Also, the Australian consumer Network page will be relocated to a new site.

A psych. nurse has been convicted of raping a mentally ill woman while he was her hospital case manager in Bendigo Hospital, Vic. The offence occured in 1994 {from the Age}