Apparently it’s ‘mental health month’.
Today I helped a friend in crisis get to a hospital. To do that, we needed to call a central 1800 mental health line because we don’t have community mental health teams anymore.
My friend in crisis had to agree to having the call recorded to get triaged for admission. A full and frank psychiatric assessment all recorded by a third party on behalf of the government.
This is mental health care under the the Liberals. We have no rights to privacy, no local support, no number for the local ward.
We are data to be mined and used and sold.
Scott Morrison (ScoMo) and Gladys Berejiklian show their care for us in their policies. They make policies to starve, demean and silence us and then place barrier after barrier between us and treatment.
A mental health system that depends on your willingness to have a triage call recorded for a governess database is not inclusive.
I know I’d never call that number when the madness is upon me, couldn’t consent to that recording.
Policing and surveilling the mentally ill as we attempt to access treatment will drive away many desperately needing help.
We no longer live in a liberal democracy. Capitalism has destroyed our communities.
Happy mental health month.
(And yes, my friend has full comprehensive health insurance with full cover for psyc. They still had to get triaged through the public service and recorded for the databases.)
(FYI – Last I heard, all calls to 1800 RESPECT were also recorded. In every crisis, we are still a commodity.)
Angela J Williams 