People with Disabilities

Yesterday I contacted PWD again to see if they would advocate for Sue. PWD in the past have been Sue's advocate.

I initially contact PWD about Sues situation about 3 months ago and was told by the intake officer that they would not take Sue's case on as she had a case worker. Yesterday they decided that Sue was in fact in need of advocacy because they like me believe that DADHC are taking to long to finalise the application for funding to provide accommodation for Sue. DADHC have known they have to get funding for Sue since May and yesterday I was told it is sitting on someone's desk waiting for them and get sign off on before it goes to the Minister for consideration for funding. The last straw snapped.

So onto the phone to PWD and I am very pleased that they are involved in Sues case as in the past they have been great advocates for securing funding and services for Sue.

Intermittent Explosive Disorder

http://www.keepmedia.com/pubs/PsychologyToday/2002/10/10/11472?extID=10038&data=intermittent_explosive_disorder
http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx51.htm
http://www.psychnet-uk.com/dsm_iv/intermittent_explosive_disorder.htm
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g2602/is_0003/ai_2602000327http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=1226&cn=114&clnt%3Dclnt00001&

Parole Hearing

Sues parole came due on the 7^th of this month. Her hearing was adjourned because she is facing another assault charge this time of a prisoner guard. Her hearing for that offence occurs on the 2^nd of November and I believe she will be sentenced for that crime. I think this is correct, she has committed a crime she has to face to consequences, but I do wonder how they decide whether she is psychotic or not. She has been classed that way numerous times before, various psychiatrists have said that she cannot control her behaviour. If she was psychotic then she’d come under the jurisdiction of Mental Health and maybe would be placed in a facility where she can get the kind of help she needs. <>Mulawa has no psychiatric ward as far as I know as Sue is being held in solitary confinement because that is the only way the prison system can cope with her. Her behaviour will continue to deteriorate as long as she is held there and not in facility that can assess her, put her on medication and get her into some behaviour modification programs.

She has constantly been diagnosed as a person with intermittent explosive disorder, border line personality disorder and attachment disorder. I have at least 3 reports that say she is incapable of controlling her anger and is psychotic. These reports where all done while she was in a locked down psychiatric ward. Now that she needs to be placed in a facility like that again they are saying she has no mental health conditions. Why? Politics. It all comes back to the no admission policy, and deinstitutionalising. Most deinstitutionalising is a good thing, but where do people like Sue go?

Yes, Sue has to be contained, and she has to serve her sentence for assault. But what happens after her sentence is completed? Will she, like other women in her situation, end up serving years in prison simply because there is no facility for them to go to? The parole officer at Mulawa told Sues case worker that “they have two women who have been there long term simply because there is nowhere that can deal with them.” It’s disgraceful that that happens. We need legislation changed so that those people that need institutionlised care aren’t kept in prison, or even worse, released onto the streets and become the faceless homeless.

Keep me Informed (yeah right)

There was a meeting today to discuss Sues accommodation needs. I was told I would be rung to be part of the discussion. People from Mulawa, DADHC, Public Guardian and the Behaviour Intervention Service were also involved.

It started at 11:30am I had not been called by 2:45pm.

I expected I would not called. I definitely feel like I am seen as a trouble maker as I will not accept being told that it is not DADHC responsibility to house Sue. Part of DADHC guidelines is to "develop a coordinated approach across government to the planning of accommodation and services to people with disabilities."

What they hell are they doing for Sue. Nothing as DADHC seems preoccupied with saying it is everybody else's job top find Sue housing.

Sue goes before the parole board on the 7th of this month with no housing to go to if she is released. Well done DADHC other one of your clients ends up on the streets.

Kestrel

Kestrel is a male only facility in Newcastle that only deals with people with a mental health disorder, intellectual disability and behaviour disorders and have found themselves serving time in prison usually for assault. Kestrels clients are referred into their care via the criminal justice system or mental health.

I spoke with Kestrel and they said that "they were meant to have a female ward but the governments policy on de institutionalising clients meant that the ward was scrapped. Therefore there is no facility for females in NSW like Kestrel."

Daniel Sues guardian said that Kestrel would be the ideal placement for Sue as the people who are in Kanangra are more intellectually disabled than Sue and she would be a threat to the other clients there. He also said that the way Kanangra would deal with Sue was to dope her up to the eyeballs so she couldn’t move. It’s not what Kanangra told me. Daniel told me that the "Behaviour Intervention Service know of six other women who would benefit from a facility like Kestrel. "

I told Daniel maybe the Anti Discrimination board should be contacted he told me to do it. I think he should've but none the less I did. They told me it is a case of gender discrimination and that the guardian needs to fill out the form and lodge the complaint. It has to be from a guardian or parent. I'm neither.

Now I wonder what will happen when I tell Daniel this. I think I’ll be told he can’t due to the politics or policies that his office are bound by.

I think in the end the complaint will have to come from me as I cannot see Daniel doing it. The trick will be how do I do this.