Mental Health - Justice Action

Miriam Merten Mental Hospital Death Inquiry Media Release 22nd December 2017

Whitewash Merten Death Mental Report

Media Release: Friday December 22^nd 2017

The Review by the Chief Psychiatrist following the death of patient Miriam Merten at Lismore Hospital, made very serious criticisms of the NSW Mental Health System, but didn’t make a single recommendation that would prevent its reoccurrence. The 19 Recommendations missed the point entirely, just offering more money without changing any of the dynamics. That is unsurprising as the problems are deep-seated cultural ones, and the so called independent review is by insiders who are part of the system” said Justice Action Coordinator Brett Collins.

Mental Health Crises

Mental Health Crises: Proposal for Intervention

A paper presented at CJC & ICJA’s ‘BEDLAM: A hypothetical journey through the Justice and Mental Health Systems’ Held on 29 September 2012

This leaflet highlights problem areas of the current Criminal Justice and Mental Health systems and raises possible solutions for the same.

In a situation when a person feels disturbed or others feel disturbed by a person’s behaviour, it is most often handled by social processes in the person’s immediate community. At times, help is requested from outside organizations. The starkest failures have occurred after referral to police.

Hospital visit approved

Media Release Thursday September 29, 2011

Mental Health breakthrough – hospital visit approved
"In a breakthrough over two years in the making, Justice Action workers will visit patient Saeed Dezfouli in the Forensic Hospital Long Bay, at 9:30 this morning. This is the first time his friends have been permitted to see and touch him, yet he is a non-violent man forcibly injected every two weeks, denied education, social support and his identity. The team will conduct media interviews upon their exit at 10:45am" said Justice Action coordinator Brett Collins.

Deinstitutionalisation

DEINSTITUTIONALISATION:

Why community living has been accepted as the appropriate model

Just Us

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The latest edition of JUST US – Vol 6, was prepared for all prisoners and patients in forensic hospitals in early March. The newspaper informs prisoners and patients of their rights and eligibility to vote, while also providing an overview of the law and order policy positions of the ALP, the Coalition and the Greens from the CJC pre-election Forum before the NSW State Election. It was made relevant to all detainees wherever they are. Despite the right of all members of the community to have access to such information before they voted, NSW authorities refused once again to distribute Just Us.
Read the latest Issue.

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Justice Action is in the NSW Supreme Court to fight for detainees' right to information. NSW authorities refused to distribute the election special to prisoners or mental health patients. It went into five other states and territories prison systems, and all judges and MPs.
Read the Issue.

Miriam Merten Lismore Hospital Death

Latest News:

Miriam Merten Overview

Justice Action submitted a report to the NSW Health Department Inquiry after the death of Miriam Merten, mother of two and a mental health patient from Lismore Base Hospital. Miriam died on 3rd June 2014 from injuries sustained during her time in seclusion. The horrific nature of Miriam’s treatment was evidenced with shocking CCTV footage of her final hours, exposing the lack of care from the NSW Health Staff at Lismore Base Hospital along with their abject failure to intervene in her untimely death.

Ms Merten died in 2014 from a brain injury after she fell more than 20 times whilst in the care of the Mental Health Unit of Lismore Base Hospital. The coronial inquest into Ms Merten’s death found that Ms Merton died from a "traumatic brain injury caused by numerous falls and the self-beating of her head on various surfaces, the latter not done with the intention of taking her life". Disturbing CCTV footage of the neglected, blood and faeces splattered, Ms Merten wondering the corridors of the Lismore facility on the night of her death have emerged, and be viewed in this article.

parliament stairs group photo

Kerry O'Malley media release 171017

Health Department Rejected

Media Release October 17, 2017

Mental health consumers have won another battle against the use of forced medication. After years of being subject to Community Treatment Orders (CTO), 71 year old Kerry O’Malley today won agreement from the Mental Health Review Tribunal to reject the CTO against her. A forced injection is the antithesis of health care disgracing all who say nothing.

Kerry O'Malley - Forced Medication and Community Treatment Orders

The degrading treatment imposed on this gracious 71 year old woman Kerry O’Malley highlights all that is wrong with the mental health system. Over the last 47 years she has been arrested, abandoned to draconian control in a locked hospital and her rights to individual autonomy dismissed. She has been subjected many times to Community Treatment Orders (CTOs) and forcibly medicated with severe physical and social side effects. Only her sister Margaret and her church have stood beside her. Psychiatrist Dr Yola Lucire defended her against the forced medication despite the weight of the industry norms. Legal aid by the Mental Health Advocacy Service is thoroughly discredited as part of the system.

Michael Riley

LATEST NEWS ON MICHAEL'S CASE

Appalling Outcome Report: Rehospitalised - 16th November 2016

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