01-18-2007, 02:54 PM
Hi all,
Our "noble" Lords are discussing the proposed new Mental Health Act in this January 2007. The transcript so far of their deliberations is available at the link below. Of interest is the debate regarding autism and learning disablity.
Regards,
James
Notable quotes are:
"Is he suggesting that there might be a case in which the court would make an order under Section 37 and/or Section 41 of the Mental Health Act 1983 on the grounds that the person was suffering from autism spectrum disorder, without anything more? I find it extremely difficult to imagine that that would happen."
"Perhaps they were feeling suicidal due to the social isolation associated with their autism. The Act should then enable professionals to detain them for their own protection."
"To illustrate this point, let me tell you a story, which ended in the use of the Mental Health Act.Mr S, who has a severe learning difficulty, autismand communication difficulties, lives in a residential setting. He was detained under the 1983 Act because he was becoming increasingly agitated and exhibited aggressive behaviour, banging his head against a wall. It was later discovered—this is shocking but true—that Mr S had a small twig in his ear, which was causing him distress, as it would most people, and which he expressed by his agitated behaviour. This scenario shows how the distress of a person with a learning disability can be automatically attributed to a mental disorder without paying sufficient attention to physical factors. This is about not just lazy diagnosis but making fatal assumptions."
"But we also think that there is a clinical distinction between autistic spectrum disorders and learning disability. A learning disability will include the presence of a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information or to learn new skills, and a reduced ability to cope independently. It will not necessarily be accompanied by the difficulties that a person with an autistic spectrum disorder will have with communication and relating to people around them. It is because of these communication difficulties that we believe that people with autistic spectrum disorders are better served by not being subject to any limitation. That way, in the rare cases where the Act needs to be used—for example, to help an autistic person who might otherwise attempt suicide—debates about diagnosis will not present an obstacle."
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?id=...3353#g60.5
Our "noble" Lords are discussing the proposed new Mental Health Act in this January 2007. The transcript so far of their deliberations is available at the link below. Of interest is the debate regarding autism and learning disablity.
Regards,
James
Notable quotes are:
"Is he suggesting that there might be a case in which the court would make an order under Section 37 and/or Section 41 of the Mental Health Act 1983 on the grounds that the person was suffering from autism spectrum disorder, without anything more? I find it extremely difficult to imagine that that would happen."
"Perhaps they were feeling suicidal due to the social isolation associated with their autism. The Act should then enable professionals to detain them for their own protection."
"To illustrate this point, let me tell you a story, which ended in the use of the Mental Health Act.Mr S, who has a severe learning difficulty, autismand communication difficulties, lives in a residential setting. He was detained under the 1983 Act because he was becoming increasingly agitated and exhibited aggressive behaviour, banging his head against a wall. It was later discovered—this is shocking but true—that Mr S had a small twig in his ear, which was causing him distress, as it would most people, and which he expressed by his agitated behaviour. This scenario shows how the distress of a person with a learning disability can be automatically attributed to a mental disorder without paying sufficient attention to physical factors. This is about not just lazy diagnosis but making fatal assumptions."
"But we also think that there is a clinical distinction between autistic spectrum disorders and learning disability. A learning disability will include the presence of a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information or to learn new skills, and a reduced ability to cope independently. It will not necessarily be accompanied by the difficulties that a person with an autistic spectrum disorder will have with communication and relating to people around them. It is because of these communication difficulties that we believe that people with autistic spectrum disorders are better served by not being subject to any limitation. That way, in the rare cases where the Act needs to be used—for example, to help an autistic person who might otherwise attempt suicide—debates about diagnosis will not present an obstacle."
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?id=...3353#g60.5