The petition of residents of the State of Queensland draws to the attention of the House the vast numbers of people with severe mental illness who are unable to find effective treatment.  Frequently mental illness, clinical depression and addictions become a combined disorder when a person with a mental illness is not able to get the level of help they need at the onset of that diagnosis.  They then become long term sufferers who turn to bad habits and substances as a form of self-medication. These people give up hope of ever becoming well again It is on record that in 2011 there were more than 103,000 people in Queensland with a long term form of serious mental illness. 

Your petitioners therefore request the House to address the following needs as a matter of urgency.

1. The number one thing needed at the onset of a diagnosed mental illness is readily available ongoing therapeutic counselling that offers encouragement praise and support.  When in the frequent depths of depression easy access to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can be necessary.  Much more than medication alone is a desperate need.

2. For long term sufferers who have not been given counselling specialised residential programs run by specially trained clinical staff have been proven in other countries to have up to a 95% success rate in getting people well.  These programs are extremely cost effective, but of course the best outcomes would be helping so many people to lead an independent life again.