TRC Final Report

Volume 5

Chapter 8

Subsection 25

Mental health

86 The Commission recommends that:

MENTAL HEALTH BE GIVEN PRIORITY AS A NATIONAL CONCERN AND BE BROUGHT INTO THE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES BE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL SOUTH AFRICANS, WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON THE RURAL AREAS.

THE FOCUS OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES BE SHIFTED FROM THE ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ONEON-ONE THERAPY MODEL, TO BECOME COMMUNITY BASED. DIFFERENT CARE AND THERAPY MODALITIES BE EXPLORED AND INSTITUTED, PARTICULARLY TRADITIONAL AND INDIGENOUS MODES OF TREATMENT. COMMUNITY COUNSELLORS AND FAMILY MEMBERS BE INVOLVED IN CARE PROVISION. SERVICE USERS MUST BE INCLUDED IN DECISIONS ABOUT SERVICE PROVISION.

THE QUALITY AND TYPE OF CARE PROVIDED IN MENTAL INSTITUTIONS BE MONITORED BY AN INDEPENDENT BODY.

PSYCHOMETRIC TESTS WHICH ARE CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE IN ALL ASPECTS BE DEVELOPED AND APPROPRIATELY APPLIED.

APPROPRIATE MODELS FOR TRAUMA COUNSELLING IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT BE DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED.

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION BY ALL APPROPRIATE MINISTRIES, FOR EXAMPLE HOUSING, CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, EDUCATION, AND SAFETY AND SECURITY, IN THEIR PLANNING PROCESSES.

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES HAVE A DEVELOPMENTAL FOCUS.

THERE BE INCREASED RESEARCH INTO THE CONSEQUENCES OF TRAUMA RELATED TO THE EXPERIENCE OF VIOLENCE. THE GROWING BODY OF RESEARCH ON POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) NEEDS TO BE MORE WIDELY SHARED AND PRACTICALLY APPLIED IN SOCIAL SETTINGS. KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF PTSD SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED IN INSTITUTIONS, COMMUNITIES AND THE FAMILY.