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Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD and Dyspraxia

Government publishes draft Mental Health Bill – NAS

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The Government has published its draft bill to change mental health laws in England and Wales. This is a huge step forward in the campaign to stop the scandal of autistic people being wrongly detained and stuck in mental health hospitals. But it must be accompanied by urgent investment in social care and mental health services, so that autistic people have the right support in the community.

The draft bill proposes some important changes for autistic people, including:

  • Changing the definition of “mental disorder” in the Mental Health Act so it no longer includes autism, which should help prevent the wrongful detention of autistic people who do not have a mental health condition.
  • Introducing a duty for councils, NHS England and local health decision makers to provide enough of the right community services to prevent autistic people reaching crisis point, and having to stay in an institution because there is nowhere else to go.
  • Making Care and Treatment Review actions enforceable, helping autistic people get discharged from hospitals sooner.
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One response to “Government publishes draft Mental Health Bill – NAS”

  1. Corina Chladek Avatar
    Corina Chladek

    This to me is a big step forward and I can use it as precedent in my own self advocacy. Being labeled as “mental disorder”to me has devolved into being a big handicap, as one is basically not on equal footing, and stripped of a basic fundamental right to have individual needs met or at least, feeling heard…And when you as autistic individual REACT to a STRESSOR, it is still seen as “challenging behaviour”(where I live) and thus not taken into consideration, but rather being corrected or invalidated…or both. What the National Autistic Society states on their own site: Quote:”Managing sensory overload () and navigating social situations can be hugely stressful.
    Sometimes, it takes a lot of energy just to get through the average day.”
    https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/mental-health/autistic-fatigue
    In my opinion Invalidation of ones needs (and I don’t mean egoic demands)might lead to Identity fatique, in my opinion THIS then is closely related to Complex PTSD..
    Quote:”PTSD can also be triggered by repeated trauma such as abuse or bullying. There is some research that suggests that autistic people can develop PTSD symptoms from a wider range of experiences than non-autistic people.”
    https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/mental-health/post-traumatic-stress-disorder

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