Mental Health Legal Centre Inc.
Representation and Legal Advice
A significant proportion of the Centre's casework is assistance and representation at the Mental Health Review Board.
The Centre has an arrangement with Victoria Legal Aid whereby VLA predominantly represents inpatients and the Centre assists people on Community Treatment Orders.
So if you are inpatient at a hospital phone 92690120 and ask when the duty lawyer next visits your ward.
If you are living in the community phone the Centre and ask how you organise for representation at your Mental Health Review Board hearing.
All other inquiries should go to the Telephone Advice Line click here for advice line times.
The Centre is not in a position to advise carers or staff without the clients permission.
For urgent advice about Electroconvulsive Therapy or the CAT team you can telephone the Centre between 9:00 and 5.00pm from Monday to Friday on 96294422 or 1800555887.
The Centre will try to assist other solicitors acting on behalf of people who have a mental illness where possible.
Casework Areas
The Mental Health Legal Centre does a variety of legal advocacy work, but only if the legal problem relates directly to the mental illness.
What We Do
| Child Protection- Children’s Court | Advice and Casework |
| Complaints against health providers | Advice and Casework |
| Complaints Other (relating to Mental Illness) | Advice and Casework |
| Complaints Police/ Authorised Officer/ Protective Service Officer | Advice |
| Crimes Mental Impairment (defence, NCSO, CSO) | Advice and Casework |
| Criminal- Summary (traffic offences, assault, ppty damage, theft) | Advice and Casework |
| Family Law- Children’s matter (contact, residency) | Advice and Casework |
| FOI | Advice and Casework |
| Guardianship and Administration | Advice and Casework |
| Human Rights | Advice and Casework |
| MHRB | Advice and Casework |
| Privacy/ Confidentiality | Advice and Casework |
| Powers of Attorney- Enduring Only | Advice and Casework |
What We Dont Do - Refer On
Banks/ Mortgage and Credit providers
Building Disputes
Business/ Commercial Disputes
Centrelink
Civil Litigation (eg. Debt)
Child Support
Complaints against lawyers
Complaints Government
Conveyancing/ Property/
Coroners Court
Criminal- Inditable offences, drugs
Customer (Consumer) Complaints
Discrimination
Elder Law
Employment
Family Law property matters
Infringements/ Fines
Insurance Disputes
Intervention Orders
Immigration
Intellectual Property
Investments/ Trusts
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Medical Negligence Litigation
Neighbourhood Disputes
OHS/ Workcover Claims
Personal Injuries
Probate
Superannuation
TAC
Taxation
Tenancy
Victims of Crime
Support
- Victoria Legal Aid
Link to Victoria Legal Aid's offices - Generalist Community Legal Centres
List of Community Legal Centres that provide general legal advice to people in Victoria. - Specialist Community Legal Centres
List of Community Legal Centres that focus on particular groups of people or areas of law. - Court Network
Can provide emotional support and information for people going to Children's Court, Family Court, Coroners Court, Magistrates Court, County Court and Supreme Court - Legal Services Commissioner
Includes fact sheet on 'Working with your lawyer' and information on making complaints - Office of the Chief Psychiatrist
You will also find further information about legal, financial, health and other support services in our Links section.
