[Mental Hygiene Authority 1961]

This film was made by the Mental Hygiene Authority of Victoria (later the Mental Health Authority), of which psychiatrist Eric Cunningham Dax was the inaugural Chairman. Dax was an advocate for greater community engagement with mental health and the introduction of art and education programs within psychiatric care. During his tenure, he implemented widespread reform of mental health institutions.
This film shows scenes at the Oakleigh Retarded Childrens Centre, the Oakleigh Sheltered Workshop and the Larundel Psychiatric Hospital. In the film, we see developmentally and intellectually disabled children and adults engaged in activities in the centres including learning how to weave using looms and working on items such as shoelaces and hubcaps in workshop environements. We also see patients of the psychiatric hospital working and playing table tennis.