Discrimination In Mental Health

Discrimination in Mental Health Sector

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Abstract
Discrimination of persons with mental disorders is widespread in New Zealand society. Practice of discrimination in areas such as education, court proceedings, property ownership, medical insurance cover and acquisition of driver’s licence is common. The government working with non-governmental organizations continues to advocate for the rights of this group. The New Zealand government has ratified United Nation’s plan on persons with living with disability. This ratification together with other strategic plans has enabled New Zealand makes progress towards eradication of discrimination against people with mental health disorder. This paper looks at the
Funding for the project began in 1996 following the Mason Inquiry into mental health services. One of the recommendations from this inquiry was that a campaign be funded to counter stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness. The aims of the ‘Like Minds, Like Mine’ program where promotion of mental health, reduction of stigma and discrimination among communities through mass (Rosen, Goldbloom & McGeorge, 2010). Organizers identified six essential goal that contained ways to aid the national and local activities to work more efficient together around common goals. The goals of the program were to bring change in attitudes and behaviours of targeted audience. The program targeted areas with audiences that could have the most impact in the lives of mental health patients (Gerard Vaughan and Chris Hansen, 2004). The program used media to change how people perceived mental illness. Producers of the program identified television as the most efficient medium of communication. Television can reach large numbers of people and can also make powerful visual emotional connections with the audience (Gerard Vaughan and Chris Hansen,
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