Mental illness

Free and confidential legal services are available to people experiencing poor mental health or involuntary treatment. Please contact the Mental Health Legal Centre (details below), the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service or Victoria Legal Aid to discuss your representation options. The Mental Health Legal Centre also has an Online Help guided pathway for consumers, patients, carers, families and other supporting professionals to find referral supports in Victoria.

For detailed information about assistance available from the Office of the Public Advocate, Community Visitors, IMHA, equal opportunity commissions and specialist disability legal services, see Chapter 8.2: Disability: Asserting your rights.

On its website (www.mht.vic.gov.au), the MHT provides information about its role and functions, how to apply for revocation of an order and the hearing process itself (including practice notices).

The Chief Psychiatrist is an independent statutory officer with powers and responsibilities to uphold quality and safety in Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing system. See ‘Contacts’ at the end of this chapter.

The Victorian Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission is responsible for resolving complaints about mental health and wellbeing service providers. For the Victorian Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission’s contact details, see below.

The Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner can investigate and help resolve complaints about healthcare providers in Victoria, including mental health and psychiatric services. For more information, see Chapter 8.2: Disability: Asserting your rights, and Chapter 12.2: Privacy and your rights.

Both the Chief Psychiatrist and the Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner must act compatibly with human rights in making decisions.

For the Victorian Health Complaints Com­ missioner’s contact details, see below.