How to be Involved
Involving all stakeholders in the Mental Health Commission’s (MHC) work is essential if improvements in mental health, alcohol and other drug (AOD) outcomes are to be achieved. Involving people in the decisions that impact them is essential. Genuine and effective engagement results in services being developed and delivered in a way that meets the needs of consumers, support persons and the broader community. The Commission recognises the valuable contribution that consumers, families, carers and community members make to the planning, implementation, delivery and evaluation of mental health, and AOD programs and services. To build and extend on the progress the Commission has made in recent years with involving consumers, families, carers and community members as part of its core business and decision making processes, the Mental Health Commission invites you to be involved.
Stakeholder Connect is the Mental Health Commission’s e-Newsletter that keeps stakeholders up to date with Commissioner communiques, progress on key initiatives and sector reform projects, and provides opportunities to get involved in research, consultation and advisory groups.
To support our growing commitment to lived experience representation across a wide variety of mental health and AOD planning and co-design projects, we invite you to get connected and subscribe to Stakeholder Connect, or follow us on social media to hear from us more frequently.
If you would like to know more about being a Lived Experience representative or have any questions regarding Stakeholder Connect then please contact us at communications@mhc.wa.gov.au
Mental Health Network
Another great opportunity to be involved is through the Mental Health Network. The Mental Health Network is an independent entity that operates under the governance of and with the support of the Commission. Membership registration is open to all. As a member you will be informed of opportunities to get involved, attend networking events, participate in consultations, and other items relevant to your areas of interest. For more information, please visit the Mental Health Network page here.
Peak Bodies, Advocacy Organisations and External Community Supports
The Mental Health Commission collaborates with peak bodies and advocacy organisations in the development of policy and best practice and invites you to learn more about these organisations by clicking the links below:
- Consumers of Mental Health WA is the independent, state-wide, peak body for people with lived/living experience of mental health issues. CoMHWA’s extensive mental health education and training programs and workshops promote recovery, build capacity in the community and services, support the consumer voice, and work to end stigma and discrimination.
- Carers WA allows carers to use their lived experience to improve services and increase awareness of the carer’s point of view.
- Helping Minds
- Mental Health Matters 2
- The Alcohol and Other Drug Consumer and Community Coalition
- Health Consumers Council WA offer consumer, family, carer and community networking, introduction and advanced representative training, diversity dialogue forums amongst other initiatives.
- Western Australian Association for Mental Health
- Collaborative and Responsive Engagement (CARE) Hub is an online platform which has been specifically designed by and for people who are engaged with community mental health practice. The CARE Hub features a jobs board, free mental health training, spaces for collaboration and resource sharing, discussions around practice and more.
- Western Australian Network of Alcohol and other Drug Agencies
- Peer Based Harm Reduction WA
- Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League
- Care Opinion Australia is a moderated platform allowing people to share their stories about their experience in health and human services. It generates a conversation between health services and the public about the safety and quality of our health services.
- Recovery College transforms lives by providing an educational, socially based pathway for people who want to learn more about wellbeing. It provides ways to reclaim lives that may have been impacted by mental health challenges and/or alcohol and other drugs.
- Connect Groups provide practical and empowering training and assistance to both new and established groups to support their effective management and role in the community.
- Health Engagement Network is a community of practice for staff, consumer and carer representatives who are involved in consumer and carer engagement across the health system in WA.