Mental Health Act matters: legal help, advice and representation
The core service of the Mental Health Law Centre is legal advice to and representation of people who are involuntary patients under the Western Australian Mental Health Act or voluntary patients of the WA mental health service, whether they are patients in authorised psychiatric hospitals or living in the community.
Involuntary patients have statutory rights to have their status reviewed by the Mental Health Review Board. Patients can ask the Centre to request extra reviews of their status as well as help them with their review by right. Our lawyers provide advice and assistance for MHRB reviews. We also provide advice and assistance for related matters such as making a complaint, accessing medical records, talking to patients about their rights under the Mental Health Act and advocating with the mental health service.Please read our Patients’ Rights Guide to understand about involuntary detention and/or treatment in Western Australia, or ring us on (08) 9328 8266 or emails us on office@mhlcwa.org.au
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Criminal Law, Guardianship & Administration, Criminal Injuries Compensation, Freedom of Information, Employment & Discrimination: Legal help, advice and representation or referral, subject to resources
Subject to resources, the Mental Health Law Centre provides free confidential legal help, advice and representation or referral in criminal law, guardianship and administration, criminal injuries compensation, freedom of information, employment and discrimination, and some family law matters (only relating to access to and custody of children and only when resources permit). This free service is provided only to clients whose mental illness is causally related to their legal issue and/or their inability to manage their issue without legal support. We act in criminal law matters only in the Magistrate’s Court but provide assistance in negotiating to have criminal charges downgraded and moved to the Magistrates Court when this is possible and for making Legal Aid applications for criminal matters in the District and Supreme Courts.