Mental health stretched at the Cross

These comments come in response to complaints from Wayside’s Potts Point neighbours, who say patrons of the chapel’s outreach program often engage in street drinking and anti-social behaviour in nearby Orwell Lane.

As well as being homeless, such patrons often suffer from mental illness and drug and alcohol related addiction. This is referred to as ‘Dual Diagnosis’.

“These neighbours of ours have my complete sympathy. I just don’t know what we’re supposed do about it,” Mr Long said. “They move off our property and go up the alleyway, and then they get completely blind.”

Mr Long said the NSW government does not provide enough funding for, or place enough emphasis on, issues associated with Dual Diagnosis. “Those with Dual Diagnosis are bounced between mental healthcare units and substance abuse units, neither of which will treat them”, he said. “There is a need for some kind of system of support and accommodation for the mentally ill that mostly doesn’t exist ... it’s in such a small amount that it doesn’t come anywhere near to solving the problem.”

Member for Bligh, Clover Moore, said she has been pushing the NSW Government to follow Victoria’s lead by developing and implementing a Dual Diagnosis strategy.

“Up to 90 per cent of homeless people are likely to have a mental illness and an alcohol or drug problem,” Ms Moore said. “Many of these people are on the street because the mainstream health services have not been able to help them.” Ms Moore said this was a problem across the entire NSW health system.

A spokeswoman for Cherie Burton, Minister assisting the Minister for Health, said the increased use of the drug Ice has put additional pressure on mental health and drug and alcohol related services. “That is why the Iemma Government has invested $23 million to build Australia’s first integrated drug and alcohol and mental health facility at St Vincent’s Hospital,” she said.

She said the State Government has also invested $17.6 million as part of its New Directions for Mental Health package, which specifically targets Dual Diagnosis.

Nick van Breda, a street outreach worker with Wayside, said some neighbours of Wayside still feel the chapel is incapable of dealing with the needs of its many patrons. “The reality is we’re one of very few services that will help them,” he said. “If you throw a drug addiction on top of the mental health problem that’s when doors start closing in your face.”

[South Sydney Herald November 2006]