Change and Improve the Mental Health System in WA

On the 29th of October 2012 a young troubled teenager: Alysha Devereux attempted suicide, at only 17 years of age.

Before she attempted to take her own life, Alysha recorded videos on her ipad and spoke in detail about her long and hard battle with depression. In her videos she talked about how little the mental health system had supported her and criticised the State's mental health services.

"Too old for some places. Too young for other places. The mental health system is f***ed, absolutely F***ed. It's like saying you can't have a mental problem between 16 and 18 because there's nowhere for us to put you."

Professor Bryant Stokes, who led a six-moth review of WA’s mental health services, said that because of the number of adolescent mental health patients in WA, more beds are urgently needed to accommodate these patients.

Throughout the year Alysha’s mental health deteriorated but because of the mental health system, she could not get the help and support that she needed desperately.

As a result Alysha attempted suicide twice in September and was taken to Bentley Adolescent Unit, the only secure psychiatric unit for adolescents in WA, she was not a voluntary patient.

Alysha discussed her mental health issues, accepted that she needed help and sought it out, but due to the State’s lack of resources, communication and adequate accommodation within the mental health system, that drove her to attempted suicide. If Alysha had received the help and counselling she needed, then she would not have felt driven to suicide.

This petition aims to bring the desperate state of WA’s mental health system, to the chair of the Mental Health Advisory Council: Barry Mackinnon.
We aim inform him about the lack of mental support for adolescents in WA and provide him with the changes and improvements needed in the system, and then we can hope to prevent more young adolescent suicides.

Many people who die by suicide or make a suicide attempt have a history of mental illness or are experiencing symptoms of mental illness. Up to 12% of people affected by mental illness take their own lives (compared with an average of 1.7% for the whole population.) and suicide is the main cause of premature death among people with mental illness. Early detection and treatment of mental illness is important in preventing suicide, although many people do not seek help until symptoms become severe.

Mental illness is common in Australia with one in five Australians experiencing a mental illness at some stage in their lives, and many experiencing more than one mental illness at one time. Prevalence of mental illness decreases with age. Prevalence (including substance use disorder) is greatest among 18-24 year olds (27%) while prevalence among people 65 years and over is 6.1%.

Up to 12% of people affected by mental illness take their own lives (compared with an average of 1.7% for the whole population.) and suicide is the main cause of premature death among people with mental illness.

Early detection and treatment of mental illness is important in preventing suicide, although many people do not seek help until symptoms become severe.

Mental illness is common in Australia with one in five Australians experiencing a mental illness at some stage in their lives, and many experiencing more than one mental illness at one time.
Prevalence of mental illness decreases with age. Occurrence (including substance use disorder) is greatest among 18-24 year olds (27%) while occurrence among people 65 years and over is 6.1%.

WA needs a better and more active mental health system, one that offers extensive support to adolescents suffering from mental illnesses, and allows them to feel safe and comfortable while they accommodate the centres.

More mental health centres that are specifically focused on adolescent mental health and the rehabilitation of mental health suffers are needed.

More communication opportunities for adolescents suffering from mental illnesses are needed.

And more professionals that address the mental illness at hand and work through the illness with the patient need to be available to adolescents and their families.