Public Guardian recognises excellence by the mental health sector in upholding human rights - Teresa Walsh
The Public Guardian yesterday awarded Toowoomba resident, Teresa Walsh, with the Public Guardian Excellence Award for her role in supporting her clients to access vital services through the NDIS.
Teresa is a Service Integration Coordinator within the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service and was one of the winners in the ‘excellence in approaches that promote the rights and/or aspirations of a person in an Authorised Mental Health Service’ category.
The clients that Teresa works with have difficulty in navigating the NDIS system themselves due to their disability. However through her collaboration with the Office of the Public Guardian she has been able to facilitate supports for these clients that have led to outcomes such as skills development, improved relationships and social engagement, employment pathways and most importantly, community living.
“Teresa has worked so hard to ensure that her clients, including clients of my Office, have support to access the NDIS. She is truly a worthy winner in this category” said Public Guardian Ms Natalie Siegel-Brown.
“Her dedication and commitment to her clients with psychosocial disabilities ensures that some of the Toowoomba region’s most vulnerable residents have access through the NDIS to the services they need to help them live up to their full potential and participate as much as possible in the general community.” Ms Siegel-Brown continued.
“She goes above and beyond on a daily basis, and always keep the human rights of her clients front and centre, so I am so pleased to reward such excellent practice within the mental health sector” Ms Natalie Siegel-Brown said.
The Office of the Public Guardian is committed to advocating for the human rights of some of Queensland’s most vulnerable citizens, including those in Authorised Mental Health Services. However the Office of the Public Guardian cannot do that work alone, and the purpose of Public Guardian Excellence Awards is to recognise and reward those individuals and teams in the community services, health and mental health sectors who work tirelessly to promote the rights and interests of our joint clients.
Other award categories in the Public Guardian Excellence Awards recognised work across Queensland to promote rights and aspirations of people in disability funded services, and to reduce or eliminate the use of restrictive practices for people with a disability.
The Office of the Public Guardian protect the rights, interests and wellbeing of adults with impaired decision-making capacity, and children and young people in the child protection system.
ENDS
Office of the Public Guardian media contact: (07) 3006 2589 or commed@publicguardian.qld.gov.au