800,000 deaf and hard of hearing Australians also experience mental health problems at some time.
Auslan Translation - International Sign Language (ILS) Translation

Fact: 1 in 6 Australians currently suffer from hearing loss, a rate that is predicted to increase to 1 in every 4 Australians by 2050 (Access Economics Report- Listen Hear! The economic impact and cost of hearing loss in Australia, 2006 p. 5)

Fact: 1 in 5 Australians will experience depression at some time in their life, a quarter of whom will receive treatment. (Mental Health Foundation of Australia (Victoria), Depression Fact Sheet)

Fact: Hearing loss is the second most prevalent national health issue, yet it is remains the 8th national funding priority. (Access Economics Report- Listen Hear! The economic impact and cost of hearing loss in Australia 2006 p.38, p.48)

Fact: There is only 1 dedicated mental health service in Australia which responds specifically to the needs of deaf and hard of hearing people. That service is located in Brisbane and is staffed by 2.1 FTE workers. (Briffa,D Clinical Specialist, State-wide Consultation Service for People who are Deaf or Hearing Impaired, A Centre of Excellence, Princess Alexandra Hospital Deafness and Mental Health Service Brisbane, 2007)

Situation analysis
Deaf and hard of hearing people experience increased risks of mental health problems because:

• they experience increased social isolation and emotional vulnerability, leading to higher risk of abuse;
• they face linguistic and cultural barriers to access and participate in existing mental health services and programs;
• there is a lack of knowledge within the mental health sector of deaf specific considerations; and
• a lack of knowledge and acceptance of mental health issues within the deaf sector, communities and individuals.

What can be done?

1. Improve the quality of life for deaf and hard of hearing individuals with mental health problems, promoting protective factors and a focus on early support systems.
2. Increase awareness of mental health issues of deaf and hard of hearing Australians within the broader community and within the mental health and deafness sectors.
3. Build accessible and responsive service systems, which draw on the strengths of the specialist deafness sector and the wider mental health sector.

Action Required
We need a commitment from Government to:

1. Actively support the 4th World Congress on Mental Health and Deafness, ‘A Life to be Lived’, Brisbane 27-30 October 2009, where we will promote awareness of the mental health issues faced by deaf and hard of hearing people in Australia and lead a collaborative movement that brings together both the deafness and mental health sectors internationally.
2. Support the establishment of a National Strategy for Research and Information on Mental Health and Deafness

How you can support our work:

1. Show the Consensus statement to colleagues and leaders in your field.
2. Support a research agenda through collaboration or examination of your own practice in this area.

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Thanks Kyle Miers for the Auslan translation

Thanks to Robert Adams for the International Sign Language Translation