Longtime Dunedin community mental
health services campaigner Jim Crowe has become the first
consumer representative to be appointed to the Royal
Australiasian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists'
general council.
Mr Crowe (70) said it had taken some years of advocacy for
the college, established 64 years ago, to reach the point of
making such an appointment and he thanked the college for its
foresight.
"It is tremendous to have a community voice at long last in
the appropriate place," he said.
The fact that he was from Dunedin reinforced his view that
"you don't have to move to Wellington or other areas - you
can work just as well from here".
He will be attending meetings in Melbourne for the council,
as an observer, something he said would enable consumers and
carers to bring their "lived experience" to the council
table, providing an alternative perspective.
College president Dr Maria Tomasic, in a statement, said the
college acknowledged and supported the role consumers and
carers played in influencing the planning, development,
implementation and evaluation of mental health services at
all levels of government.
Their contribution to policy development and assistance in
setting priorities to address quality and safety issues in
mental health service delivery was essential, she said.
Mr Crowe has been a community worker and advocate for more
than 30 years.
He was the first field worker for SF Otago (Schizophrenia
Fellowship), later serving as president of the national body.
In 1996, he was elected to the World Fellowship for
Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders board.
In his various roles with that organisation he visited almost
30 countries around the world delivering educational
workshops, running discussion groups for families and
professionals and supporting national family organisations.
He has delivered papers at conferences and symposiums.
His responsibilities in the Asian region led to the formation
of an Asian forum where representatives of 10 countries meet
each year to share achievements and plans.
He was a member of the 1996 commission of inquiry into mental
health services which led to the setting up of the Mental
Health Commission, early intervention services and better
funding for services.
Mr Crowe was honoured in 1990 with a Commemorative Medal.
He has also been invited to sit on the New Zealand board of
Life Without Barriers, an organisation begun in 1995 in
Australia by a group of concerned people to improve the lives
of people living with a disability.
- elspeth.mclean@odt.co.nz
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