[Pwd] [WSIS CS-Plenary] Re: [WSIS-CT] almost final version 4.3 of WSIS CS statement

[Elizabeth Carll, PhD]

Dear Catherine,

I believe the question you pose has been raised before and perhaps you did not see the discussion. I will further clarify.   The recognition of the importance of addressing "mental health" needs and labeling it using clear language which is tied directly to how governments decide on funding is essential.  To my knowledge there is no funding for access to emotional and spiritual services by governments.  Furthermore in
many cultures spiritual is viewed as,  and often translates into, religious
terms which brings with it a whole host of problematic and political issues.

In addition, the reference to physical and mental health was included in
each of the health paragraphs in order that each can serve as a stand alone
paragraph should one of the points be picked up by the media or other
organizations and therefore prevent misinterpretation, when taken out of
context.  Being as explicit as possible when drafting documents will insure the best chances for appropriate implementation.

If it is agreed that health can be defined in the first section of the health section to include mental health (although I did not see that word in your definition, as that is the term that is used for allocation of resources and funding by governments), then what is the problem with including the words physical and mental health in the other sections?  

Physical and mental health is the language in the original CS Declaration.  The current document is focused on implementation (or lack thereof) of the issues.  Therefore using similar language would be logical and consistent.  It would also be consistent with other UN documents.

The Health and ICT WG would likely have no problem with adding a broad definition in the beginning of the health section which also included physical and mental health among the additional descriptors you mentioned, however, with regard to the specific issues in each of the paragraphs, it is essential that physical and mental health be retained.  

It is also unclear how one would implement spiritual health and expect governments to allocate resources.  Therefore, it is even more important to use the specific terminology of physical and mental health in each of the paragraphs that follow.  Specificity is the key to successful implementation.

Elizabeth

Dr. Elizabeth Carll
Health and ICT Working Group
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies;
Communications Coordination Committee for the UN;
UN NGO Committee on Mental Health

-----Original Message-----
From: zara [mailto:croy at contact.net]
Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2005 7:25 PM
To: 'Elizabeth Carll, PhD'
Cc: Pwd at wsis-cs.org; plenary at wsis-cs.org; 'WSIS-CT'; wsishealth-and-ict at yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Pwd] [WSIS CS-Plenary] Re: [WSIS-CT] almost final version 4.3 of WSIS CS statement


Dear Elizabeth,
 
I believe you misunderstood me when I said I was trying to follow.  I have read all those posts but still felt I was missing information.
 
Regardless, the point of my post was to propose to include a definition at the beginning of the heath section so as to make clear what we were referring to, “we” being the operative word.  As Civil Society members, I believe that we have the right and a duty to propose alternatives to what are the current given norms, indeed that is a big part of our work, proposing and promoting alternatives so as to ameliorate the conditions of those we serve.  If we did not, then what would be the point of participating in this whole process to begin with.
 
Therefore, I repose my question :  Can we not include a preambule or opening sentence to the heath section defining what “our” definition of health is (such as the proposition included in my previous message) ? Would that not then answer preoccupations concerning the importance of including all aspects of this issue ?
 
 
Catherine
 
 
 
--
Catherine Roy, consultante
 
www.catherine-roy.net
514.525.9490
 
 
 
 
 



From: pwd-admin at wsis-cs.org [mailto:pwd-admin at wsis-cs.org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Carll, PhD
Sent: December 18, 2005 7:10 PM
To: croy at contact.net
Cc: Pwd at wsis-cs.org; plenary at wsis-cs.org; WSIS-CT; wsishealth-and-ict at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Pwd] [WSIS CS-Plenary] Re: [WSIS-CT] almost final version 4.3 of WSIS CS statement
Importance: High
 
Dear Catherine and all,
 
I can understand your confusion if you have not been following the issues.  And therefore to help clarify I believe the posts below identify most clearly the issues and the need to insure that resources are allocated for both physical  and mental health.   I am not aware of any country which is as enlightened to the degree that it recognizes that physical and mental health  should be seamless and part of primary care as has been put forth by Sylvis and Kicki.  Most countries will not allocate resources which are not identified.
 
For example, women who have been raped and tortured as a by product of war and consider suicide as an alternative to having to face the reality of returning to their home and being ostracized, need intensive mental health services and psychosocial support.  This has nothing to do with disability, but can affect anyone person who may be living in an unfortunate situation of war and conflict.  Mental health issues and services affect the entire poulation, not only the disability community.
 
I still would like to hear of any country that has the seamless services for physical and mental health, to which Kicki and Sylvia have referred.
 
Elizabeth
-----Original Message-----
From: wsishealth-and-ict at yahoogroups.com [mailto:wsishealth-and-ict at yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of Elizabeth Carll, PhD
Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2005 3:45 PM
To: Kicki Nordström; Sylvia Caras; Hiroshi Kawamura
Cc: Pwd at wsis-cs.org; plenary at wsis-cs.org; WSIS-CT; wsishealth-and-ict at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [wsishealth-and-ict] RE: almost final version 4.3 of WSIS CS statement
Dear Kicki, Sylvia, and all

Because we may believe that health is seamless and mental health must be
integrated into primary care does not mean that is the current reality.

Perhaps I am overlooking something here and if you could list the countries
which have a seamless service for physical and mental health and treat them
as part of primary care, it would very helpful in understanding your
perspective.

Elizabeth

-----Original Message-----
From: Kicki Nordström [mailto:kino at iris.se]
Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2005 3:29 PM
To: Sylvia Caras; Elizabeth Carll, PhD; Hiroshi Kawamura
Cc: Pwd at wsis-cs.org; wsishealth-and-ict at yahoogroups.com
Subject: SV: almost final version 4.3 of WSIS CS statement


Dear Sylvia and Elisabeth,

Of course: "Because health is seamless, and those services must be
integrated into primary care."

This is also what IDC has proposed for the Article on Health in the
convention of the rights of PWD.

Times moves and use of wordings changes over time. Now  time have come to
reform the term 2physical and mental health" and see this as "health" since
it is just the same.


Kind regards
Kicki
Kicki Nordström
World Blind Union
Immediate Past  President
c/o SRF Iris AB
122 88 Enskede
Sweden
Tel: +46 (0)8 399 000
Fax: +46 (0)8 725 99 20
Cell: +46 (0)70 766 18 19
E-mail: kino at iris.se

-----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
Från: Sylvia Caras [mailto:sylvia at peoplewho.org]
Skickat: den 18 december 2005 21:15
Till: Elizabeth Carll, PhD; Kicki Nordström; Hiroshi Kawamura
Kopia: Pwd at wsis-cs.org; wsishealth-and-ict at yahoogroups.com
Ämne: RE: almost final version 4.3 of WSIS CS statement

Elizabeth Carll, PhD wrote on 11:58 AM 12/18/05:
>I couldn't agree with you more that physical and mental health should
>not be separated

But you just separated them in that sentence!

>approximately 40% of the world's countries have no articulated mental
>health policy, and over 30% have no mental health programs.

Because health is seamless.

>disparity in services for mental health

Because health is seamless, and those services must be integrated into
primary care.

Sylvia