Opening the discussion, crossbench peer Lord Patel said mental illness was a "leading cause of suffering, economic loss and social problems", and it was time to recognise "that good mental health underlines all health".

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As the Audit Commission recently pointed out, many treatment services are wasted or ineffective because they fail to deal with the other problems - mental health, housing, social care - which often afflict the lives of addicts.

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The mental health problems that result from emotional damage require more, not less, social support, and not just from parents, who may be overwhelmed and ashamed of their offspring.

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In his speech, Mr Blair said the "hard to reach" groups his "social exclusion plan" hoped to target included: children in care, families with complex problems, teenage pregnancies and mental health patients.

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