Where to get assistance

• Legal and advocacy services

  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 8.1: Understanding disability and the law.

• Mental Health Tribunal

  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

  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

• Victorian Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission

  The Victorian MHWC is responsible for resolving complaints about mental health and wellbeing service providers. For the Victorian MHWC contact details, see below.

• Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner

  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 8.1: Understanding disability and the law, and Chapter 12.2: Privacy and your rights.

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

More information

• Contacts

  Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (Ahpra)
  www.ahpra.gov.au

  Chief Psychiatrist
  www.health.vic.gov.au/chief-psychiatrist

  Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)
  www.imha.vic.gov.au

  Mental Health Legal Centre
  www.mhlc.org.au
  Online Help: www.pathways.mhlc.org.au/mhlc-online-help.html

  Mental Health Tribunal Victoria (MHT)
  www.mht.vic.gov.au

  Mental Health Victoria
  www.mhvic.org.au

  Second Psychiatric Opinion Service
  www.secondopinion.org.au

  Health Complaints Commissioner
  www.hcc.vic.gov.au

  Human Rights Law Centre
  www.hrlc.org.au

  Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission (MHWC)
  www.mhwc.vic.gov.au

  Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service 
  www.vals.org.au 

  Victoria Legal Aid
  www.legalaid.vic.gov.au

  Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC)
  www.vmiac.org.au

  For other relevant organisations, see ‘Contacts’ at the end of Chapter 8.1: Understanding disability and the law 

Where to get assistance

Chapter: 8.4: Mental illness

Contributor: Kate Windmill, Director of Legal Practice, Mental Health Legal Centre

Current as of: 1 September 2024

Law Handbook Page: 763

Next Section: 8.5: Guardianship and medical treatment