Mental Health Legal Centre Inc.
Employment and Mental Illness
Parliamentary inquiry into mental illness and work
The MHLC made a submission to the State Government's inquiry into workforce participation by people with mental illness which is being conducted by the Family and Community Development Committee (FCDC). We stressed that, despite the capacity and desire to participate and contribute fully and meaningfully in their workplaces, people with psychiatric disability do not enjoy the same rights to equality of access, participation and opportunity in employment as other members of the community. Our submission outlined key barriers to participation in the workforce, including prejudicial attitudes espoused by some media and policy decision-makers against people with mental illness, discriminatory legislative provisions adversely affecting people with a forensic psychiatric history, practices and policies in police record checks that adversely affect a person's employment prospects, particularly if they have a forensic psychiatric history. We also suggested that advance directives are useful tools in supporting a person in their employment and mitigating advserse outcomes to both their health and their employment.
The FCDC is due to table its report in parliament by 30 September 2012.
- Read the MHLC's submission to the inquiry (December 2011) (pdf)
For more information on the inquiry:
- Read the Media release from Minister Wooldridge (20 October 2011) (pdf)
- Read the Media release from FCDC Chair Georgie Crozier (23 November 2011) (pdf)
- Family and Community Development Committee's webpage (html)
- Read the full Terms of Reference of the Inquiry (pdf)
- Read the MHLC's tipsheet for consumers about making a submission to Government
