Submission from Inner South & Friends Mental Health Support Group, 7 April 2015

You will see from the attachments that we are a volunary organisation, in existence for 25 years, which supports the families and friends of people with a mental illness.

Our concern is that much of the funding for community services for those with long term mental heatlh issues has been transferred into the NDIS from organisations which used to provide support for those with mental illness.

Furthermore, it seems that the way in which the eligibility criteria have been written for the NDIS will exclude many of those previously supported in the community. As a result their health will deteriorate causing additional suffering both to themselves and to those who care for them.

We are also concerned that there seems to be insufficient interface between the NDIS and families/carers and hope that this is an area which will receive attention before the scheme is rolled out more widely.

Another very great concern is the lack of suitable affordable housing – a major stressor for those with mental illness often exacerbating their condition. This does not appear to have been addressed within the NDIS nor is it sufficiently dealt with elsewhere within the welfare sector.