Mental Health Minister Stephen Dawson has today announced that 13 grants worth more than $208,000 have been awarded to 12 organisations to undertake targeted engagement for the statutory review of the Mental Health Act (2014).
Grants will enable the organisations to conduct face-to-face engagement with targeted groups of consumers, carers or families using lived experience facilitation or co-facilitation.
To enhance opportunities for people with lived experience to provide feedback on their experience with the Act, interested parties were invited to apply for grants to facilitate engagement sessions with a diverse range of stakeholders.
These organisations will focus on listening to the stories and experiences of people from specific cohorts including young people, Aboriginal people, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, LGBTIQA+ communities, trans and gender diverse people, those living in rural, regional or remote communities across Western Australia, and people with co-occurring challenges such as alcohol and/or other drug use, or homelessness.
The grants activity forms part of an extensive engagement strategy which includes working with service providers, clinicians, advocacy and advisory groups, Aboriginal corporations, local and State Government agencies, researchers, and representatives from across the social services sector to ensure individuals with lived experience of the Act from across WA have the opportunity to share their feedback.
Community members are encouraged to contact the grant recipient organisations to find out more about participating in face-to-face sessions. Contact details can be found on the Mental Health Commission website at https://www.mhc.wa.gov.au/MHActReview
Submissions to the statutory review close at 4pm on Monday January 31, 2022 and results will inform recommendations to Parliament.
As stated by Mental Health Minister Stephen Dawson:
“The Government recognises the vital expertise of people with lived or living experience of the Mental Health Act to identify opportunities for changes through the statutory review process.
“Through these grants we are ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to have their say and help improve the Act for the Western Australian community.
“I encourage anyone who has had experience with treatment under the Act to provide their feedback – either through contacting one of the community organisations to participate in engagement sessions, or directly to the Mental Health Commission online, by post, or by phone.”
