Let us know: What would make the Disability Discrimination Act work better for people with mental health challenges or psychosocial disability?
To inform our submission to the Disability Discrimination Act review, Consumers of Mental Health WA wants to hear from our members and consumers who have had experiences with discrimination on the basis of their lived experience of mental health challenges and/or psychosocial disability.
About the review
The Disability Discrimination Act Review is seeking views on ways to reform the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. The review considers 15 recommendations made about the act by the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (the Disability Royal Commission). It also considers other ways to make the Act clearer and bring it up to date.
You can read more about the review here.
Who can participate:
- People with lived experience of mental health challenges and/or psychosocial disability.
- People who have had experiences with discrimination on the basis of their lived experience of mental health challenges and/or psychosocial disability.
If you are not a person with lived experience of mental health challenges and/or psychosocial disability, but you would still like to have a say, you can contribute to the consultation through the community survey link available on the Attorney General’s consultation page for the review.
How to have a say
Register for one of our focus groups by emailing mrussell@comhwa.org.au or call 08 9258 8911 and provide any accessibility requirements.
In-person focus group:
- 10am – 1pm, Thursday the 11th of September.
- Location: Training room 14 at Consumers of Mental Health WA, 12/275 Belmont Ave, Cloverdale.
- Payment: Attendees will be paid $150 (payment includes participation and an additional hour for travel). There will be a light lunch provided as part of the focus group, so please let us know your dietary requirements when registering.
Online focus group:
- 12:30pm-3pm, Monday the 15th of September
- Location: Online via Teams
- Payment: Attendees will be paid $93.75
If you can’t join a focus group or if focus groups are not accessible to you, you can have a say by:
- Speaking with us at a time and in a space more convenient and comfortable for you, either on the phone, online, or face to face at our Cloverdale offices.
- You can share your story or provide submissions of art or poetry or other modes that work better for you.
- You can send an email, written feedback, or voice file with your feedback to sysadvocacy@comhwa.org.au
- You can complete the survey below
Note: focus groups and consultation discussions will include exploration of experiences of discrimination and exclusion. Questions will be provided for participants in advance and Peer support will be available during the discussions in case the conversation raises feelings of distress.
To make a time to speak with us, organise a meeting, or share your story in another way, or if you have any questions, please contact Dr Melissa Russell, Senior Policy and Research Officer at mrussell@comhwa.org.au
