What legal needs do consumers bring to mental health services? And what do mental health services need to be able to help?
While effective clinical care is essential to supporting people through diverse challenges, there has been increasing recognition that other disciplines and services can contribute by addressing specific areas of need that interact with mental health.
Neami and Health Justice Australia conducted a survey of 999 service site staff, with 146 respondents (14.6%) across 70 Neami services. Nearly half of all respondents were peer support workers, 20% were support workers, 17% managers/team leaders and 15% clinical workers. This snapshot presents top level findings about:
- the types of legal issues that staff see their consumers experiencing
- whether staff feel they ‘have enough’ connections, skills, knowledge, confidence, remit and resources to address those issues when they arise.
Health justice partnership uses legal help to improve client outcomes, offering one avenue for more holistic responses to compounding issues around mental ill-health.
In 2020, we made a submission in response to the draft report of the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry into Mental Health.
We’ve made four recommendations to strengthen the draft National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children.
Key lessons from health and legal assistance services operating during the Covid19 pandemic that can help Australia build back better.
Let's Talk Health Justice
with Jasmine Pavan, Lawyer, Women’s Legal Service, Western Australia
In this episode of Let’s Talk Health Justice we’re hearing from Jasmine Pavan. While based in Perth, Jas catches the plane to Kalgoolie at least one week per month to work in the unique Health Justice Partnership with Goldfield’s Women’s Health Care Centre.
As you’ll hear from Jas, this partnership is flexible, place-based and unique – designed to meet the women in the Goldfields where they’re at.
Our published research
Schram, A., et al. (2021). Advancing action on health equity through a sociolegal model of health. The Milbank Quarterly, 99(4), 904-927.
Forell, S., & O’Connor, S. (2024). Legal needs arising in mental health settings and staff capability and support to respond. International Journal of Integrated Care, 24(1), 19.
