Lack of Services for People with a Psychosocial Disability
Psychosocial disability is the leading cause of death for Australians under the age of 45 and the leading cause of disability in Australia.526 However, mental health services are significantly under-resourced and there are widespread access problems for people with psychosocial disability.527
Approximately 40 percent of persons with intellectual disability also have a psychosocial disability, a situation known as ‘dual disability’. Existing health services are very poor at supporting people with disability who experience more than one type of impairment. Traditional health treatment regimes focus on a diagnosis specific approach rather than a broader health needs based approach.