Independent Mental Health Advocacy is a service delivered by Victoria Legal Aid. It is not a legal service and is funded by the Victorian Department of Health.
Independent Mental Health Advocacy complements and enhances Victoria Legal Aid’s existing legal services for people with mental health issues.
Victoria Legal Aid and Independent Mental Health Advocacy work alongside each other to provide comprehensive and holistic support to people who are being detained because of their mental illness.
About Victoria Legal Aid
Victoria Legal Aid is an independent statutory authority which helps people with their legal problems. It receives funding from the Commonwealth and Victorian governments, but operates independently from them.
Victoria Legal Aid helps people with legal problems involving family breakdown, child protection, family violence, criminal matters, social security, discrimination, guardianship and administration, fines, immigration, tenancy and debt. Victoria Legal Aid lawyers can also provide legal representation at Mental Health Tribunal hearings.
Independent Mental Health Advocacy does not provide legal advice or representation. We will refer eligible people who require legal assistance to Victoria Legal Aid.
Victoria Legal Aid’s role supporting people with mental health issues
Advocating for people with mental health related issues to be heard in the justice system has always been an important focus of Victoria Legal Aid’s work.
Victoria Legal Aid’s significant expertise helping people with mental health related issues is used to advocate for law to prevent, and more effectively resolve, legal problems that they experience.
Getting help from Victoria Legal Aid for your legal rights
Victoria Legal Aid lawyers may be able to help you if you are receiving compulsory mental health treatment by:
- ensuring that the legal processes and legal safeguards in relation to compulsory treatment have been followed
- providing you with legal advice and representation at the Mental Health Tribunal.
Getting help from Victoria Legal Aid for other legal problems
Victoria Legal Aid lawyers can also help you with other legal problems including Centrelink issues, discrimination, fines and infringements, family law issues and police matters.
You can get free information about many legal issues by:
- going to Victoria Legal Aid’s Find legal section – each topic has information about the law and who you can contact for more help
- ordering Victoria Legal Aid’s free publications and
- visiting Victoria Legal Aid’s public law to access legislation, case law and other legal materials.
You can also get help over the about the law and how Victoria Legal Aid can help you. This service is free.
Reviewed 27 August 2023