Department of Health

Recommendation 29

A new agency led by people with lived experience of mental illness or psychological distress

What the Royal Commission said

The Royal Commission recommended the Victorian Government build on the Interim Report's Recommendation 5 and establish a new non-government agency led by people with lived experience of mental illness or psychological distress.

The agency will be overseen by a skills-based board chaired by and consisting of a majority of people with lived experience to:

  • deliver accredited training and resources to aid the development of organisations led by people with lived experience of mental illness or psychological distress;
  • develop and deliver mental health and wellbeing services led by people with lived experience of mental illness or psychological distress; and
  • facilitate co-location, shared resourcing, learning opportunities and the creation of new partnerships and networks between people with lived experience of mental illness or psychological distress and the organisations they lead.

What are we doing?

Significant progress has been made towards the establishment of the new non-government Lived Experience Agency.

Project funding has been provided to support developmental work led by a partnership comprising the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC), the Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC) and the Department of Health.

The partnership has worked to define the purpose and functions of the agency.

A key priority in 2024-25 is to continue working with lived experience partners to prepare for the future establishment of the Agency.

Reviewed 10 October 2024

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