Question 1

Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System

Accepted Answer

The Royal Commission provides an opportunity for a wider conversation about mental health through community consultation which aims to accelerate improvements in access to mental health services, service navigation and models of care, looking at ways to end stigma and discrimination. Northern Community Legal Centre made a Formal Submission to the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System and supports the government’s efforts to improve and expand the current framework.
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Mental health problems are widespread within NCLC’s community. In Hume City Council, 15.9% of residents identify as having high or very high levels of psychological distress. A 2010 Victorian Health report revealed that mental health problems, along with neurological and sense disorders, are the ‘leading cause of burden in the Hume region.’ High proportions of people also experienced high or very high levels of psychological stress, coupled with high or very high levels of social isolation, in Merri-bek City Council.
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Question 2

Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health

Accepted Answer

Northern Community Legal Centre made a submission to Productivity Commission inquiry into Mental Health, which aims to explore the social and economic benefits of improving mental health.
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We focus our limited resources on the most vulnerable in our community, which includes people with mental health issues. Many of the clients we assist across a range of legal areas have a mental health illness as a backdrop to their legal problems. In our submission, we highlight various areas of concern for our priority clients, who include newly arrived and refugees, people with a mental illness, young people and victims/survivors of family violence. These cohorts present with compounding vulnerabilities which exacerbate their difficulty in accessing appropriate legal help. We identify the following considerations:
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​That the understanding of the justice system as outlined in the inquiry be broadened to include civil justice and that understandings obtained through the recent inquiries.
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That there be specific Health Justice funding for lawyer’s in mental health programs.
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That process’s in courts at the state and federal level incorporate better identification of people with mental illness including; questions on all forms; requirements on judicial staff to identify if a person before the court whether in the civil or criminal jurisdiction has a mental illness and training of staff in better identifying and responding to people with a mental illness.
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We recommend that funding agreements for other social services provide incentivisation to work with other services including community legal services to provide a wraparound service.
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That the Legal Assistance sector funding through the National Partnership Agreement ensure a more specific focus on mental health and promotion of integrated service delivery with mental health services.

LAW REFORM & ADVOCACY

FAMILY VIOLENCE

HOMELESSNESS

MENTAL HEALTH

LAW REFORM & ADVOCACY​

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FAMILY VIOLENCE

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HOMELESSNESS

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MENTAL HEALTH

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LAW REFORM & ADVOCACY