Championing inclusion in mental health services

Vi’s mission is to ensure people living with psychosocial disability are recognised, respected and supported throughout their care journey.

“Inclusion in mental health is vital because it raises awareness and understanding of the diverse ways disability can present. It encourages our services to be responsive to the full spectrum of our consumer needs, not just those that are obvious,” says Vi.

Psychosocial disabilities are often called ‘hidden disabilities’ because they’re not always visible. Mental health conditions and their impacts are frequently misunderstood, and stigma can create barriers to accessing care.

A big part of Vi’s work involves working with teams to design systems that identify disability support needs early. This means teams can provide the right supports during a hospital stay and in the community to help people stay well.

Over the past year, the Disability Support Services team has grown with the addition of a NDIS Mental Health Officer and an Intellectual Disability Mental Health Clinician. Together they provide expert consultation, clinical support and training to staff on disability supports, the NDIS, and complex care planning.

“We work with staff to help them understand that adjustments don’t have to be complicated- things like offering flexible appointment locations and meeting consumers where they feel most comfortable can have a big impact. Inpatient adjustments such as quieter rooms or sensory tools to support self-regulation work well too.” says Vi.

“These adjustments, along with working with consumers to understand their preferences for treatment and care, help to build trust and engagement, and they show what inclusion looks like in practice,” she says.

International Day of People with Disability is a simple reminder of the unique challenges that people with disability face.

“We have a poster in our office that says, ‘Don’t judge disability by its visibility.’ It reminds us why we do this work,” she says.

“The day is an opportunity for us all to reflect on how we can be more inclusive in our day-to-day practice and recognise that we all have our realm of influence in which even the smallest change can have big impacts on improving the experience of care for those with a disability. It’s also about acknowledging how far we have come in the disability inclusion space” says Vi.

Learn more about our disability support at Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District: https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/nbmlhd/patients-carers-visitors/disability