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Research Report: On the edge of justice: the legal needs of people with a mental illness
Executive Summary
Foreword
Shortened forms
Ch 1. Introduction
Ch 2. Methodology
Ch 3. Legal issues
Ch 4. Barriers to accessing legal assistance
Individual barriers to accessing legal assistance
Systemic barriers to seeking legal assistance
Suggestions to increase the accessibility of legal services to people with a mental illness
Training and awareness-raising
Support for lawyers
Summary
Ch 5. Participation in the legal system
Ch 6. Non-legal support
Ch 7. Discussion and conclusion
References
Appendices
Acknowledgements
Access to justice and legal needs research program: Terms of reference
Publishing details
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On the edge of justice: the legal needs of people with a mental illness (2006) Cite this report

Ch 4. Barriers to accessing legal assistance

Suggestions to increase the accessibility of legal services to people with a mental illness

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Support for lawyers


A few stakeholders were of the opinion that people with a mental illness can place great emotional demands on legal service providers.148 These same stakeholders commented that the personal circumstances of some of their clients can be quite distressing to listen to, and that legal service providers do not usually have the training to cope with this. In addition, some mentally ill clients can be quite demanding and time-intensive, requiring an unusual amount of contact and reassurance. This can lead to lawyers reaching “burn-out” with a particular client, and therefore having to refer them on to another lawyer.149

A case manager commented on the need for support services for legal service providers who work with clients with a mental illness, so that they are better able to look after themselves as well as their clients.150



Consultations with case manager, WRC, Sydney, October 2004, CLC workers, WLS, October 2004, solicitor, PWD, August 2004.
Consultations with CLC workers, WLS, October 2004, solicitor, PWD, August 2004.
Consultations with case manager, WRC, Sydney, October 2004, disability awareness trainer, August 2004.
148  Consultations with case manager, WRC, Sydney, October 2004, CLC workers, WLS, October 2004, solicitor, PWD, August 2004.
149  Consultations with CLC workers, WLS, October 2004, solicitor, PWD, August 2004.
150  Consultations with case manager, WRC, Sydney, October 2004, disability awareness trainer, August 2004.


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Karras, M, McCarron, E, Gray, A & Ardasinski, S 2006, On the edge of justice: the legal needs of people with a mental illness in NSW, Law and Justice Foundation of NSW, Sydney