Key organisations
Appendix B : Key Organisations
Aboriginal Disability Network NSW
A network that brings together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability (including people with mental illness) to tell their stories, share their experiences and provide each other with support. For more, click here.
Administrative Decisions Tribunal
The NSW Tribunal that can review administrative decisions made by New South Wales Government agencies and decide complaints of discrimination. For more, click here.
Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme
This Scheme investigates complaints about aged care services and their obligations under the Aged Care Act 1997 (Cth). For more, click here .
Anti-Discrimination Board
The NSW Government agency responsible for the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW). For more, click here.
ARAFMI
An organisation that provides information and support for those with family members and/or friends with mental illness or disorder. For more, click here.
Asylum Seekers Centre of NSW
A centre that offers a range of health care programs and non-health-related support to asylum seekers. For more, click here.
Australian Human Rights Commission
The Commonwealth Government agency responsible for national anti-discrimination laws including the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth). For more, click here.
Australian National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline
This is an Australia-wide telephone hotline for reporting abuse and neglect of people with disability who are using government-funded services. For more, click here.
Children of Parents with a Mental Illness (COPMI)
This is an initiative of the Australian Infant Child Adolescent and Family Mental Health Association (AICAFMHA) that information to people who care for a parent with mental illness. For more, click here.
Co-Exist NSW: Diversity Health Comorbidity Services
A service for people from CALD backgrounds who are living with two or more mental health conditions, or a mental health condition and a substance abuse or problem gambling condition. For more, click here.
Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres
Commonwealth Government centres that provide free and confidential information on support services available locally and within Australia for both people with mental illness and carers. For more, click here.
The Centres also support a Young Carers Program. For more, click here.
Community Services NSW
Community Services NSW is the part of the NSW Government that used to be called the Department of Community Services or DoCS. For more, click here.
Guardianship Tribunal
The Guardianship Tribunal is a legal Tribunal in NSW. Its role is to assist with decision-making for people with disability who lack the capacity to make certain decisions for themselves. For more, click here.
Health Care Complaints Commission
The Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) is a NSW organisation that deals with complaints against health care practitioners and health care providers in NSW. These can be complaints against individuals or services, such as hospitals or medical centres. For more, click here .
Indigenous Disability Advocacy Service
An organisation that gives advocacy support to Aboriginal people with disability, their families and carers living in western Sydney and other area in NSW. For more, click here.
Intellectual Disability Rights Service
A Community Legal Centre that provides free legal services to people with intellectual disability in relation to their legal rights. For more, click here.
Kids Helpline
This service provides counselling and referrals for young people 25-years-old and under. It has a 24-hour telephone helpline and an e-mail or and web counselling service. For more, click here.
LawAccess
A free state-wide telephone service that provide legal information and advice and referrals to legal assistance providers and related organisations. For more, click here .
Legal Aid NSW
Link Up NSW
An organisation that helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people find lost relatives. Link Up provides counselling, research and support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are trying to find lost relatives or have made contact with lost relatives. For more, click here .
Mental Health Advocacy Service
A Legal Aid NSW unit that provides free legal services to people with mental illness in relation to mental health law. For more, click here .
Mental Health Respite Program
This is a Commonwealth Government program that provides a range of flexible respite options for carers of people with mental illness or intellectual disability. For more, click here.
Mental Health Review Tribunal
The Mental Health Review Tribunal is a multi-member tribunal that has wide powers under the Mental Health Act 2007 (NSW) and is involved in making and reviewing orders about the treatment of people with mental illness, such as treatment of involuntary patients in psychiatric facilities or treatment in the community, the treatment and discharge of forensic patients and the making of financial management orders. For more, click here.
Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association
A community advocacy organisation that works with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds who have disability. For more, click here.
Multicultural Mental Health Australia
A national organisation focused on mental health and suicide prevention for Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. For more, click here.
Multicultural Problem Gambling Service for NSW
A service that helps problem gamblers from CALD communities living in NSW and their families by providing quality and accessible counselling, treatment and support services. For more, click here.
NSW Disability Discrimination Legal Centre
A Community Legal Centre that provides free legal services to people with disability in relation to disability discrimination law. For more, click here.
NSW Health
NSW Health is the name of the Department of Heath in NSW. It is responsible for monitoring the performance of the NSW public health system.
NSW Institute of Psychiatry
The Institute offers a Graduate Mental Health Program which is a professional skills-based program for people working in the mental health field. For more click here.
NSW Ombudsman
This NSW Government agency deals with complaints and concerns about NSW Government departments or agencies other than those that provide a health care service. For more, click here .
NSW Refugee Health Service
A NSW Government service that supports health care workers who are working with refugees and provides health assessments and referrals for refugees. For more, click here.
NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS)
An organisation that helps refugees and asylum-seekers living in NSW to recover from their experience and to settle in Australia. It provides mental health services, personal support programs and training. For more, click here .
NSW Public Trustee and Guardian
A NSW Government agency that can be appointed as financial manager for you if you have a disability. The NSW Public Trustee and Guardian also manage wills and powers of attorney for the general community. For more, click here.
Official Visitor
Official Visitors are appointed by the NSW Minister for Health to visit people in mental health inpatient facilities in NSW and are available to assist consumers on community treatment orders. For more, click here.
People with Disability Australia
A community advocacy organisation that works with people who have disability on both individual problems and systemic issues facing people with disability. For more, click here.
Private Health Insurance Ombudsman
This Ombudsman deals with complaints about private health insurance. For more, click here.
Public Guardian
The Public Guardian can be appointed as guardian for you if you have a disability. For more, click here .
Sane Australia
An organisation that runs programs and campaigns to improve the lives of people with mental illness, their family and friends. Sane Australia also has a telephone and online helpline. For more, click here.
Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW Inc
An organisation with a number of programs that assist carers and families of people with mental illness including as telephone information service. For more, click here.
Tenants’ Union of NSW
A Community Legal Centre that provides free legal services to tenants in NSW about their rights and obligations as tenants. For more, click here.
The Aged Care Rights Service (TARS)
A Community Legal Centre that provides free legal services in relation to aged care services. For more, click here.
Transcultural Mental Health Centre
A centre that provides a range of information and services for people with mental illness from CALD backgrounds, their carers and communities.
For more, click here.
Welfare Rights Centre
A Community Legal Centre that provides free legal services in relation to social security and Centrelink. For more, click here.
Young Carers Australia
Carers Australia has a webiste that provides information on how to get help and support, as well as how to deal with young carer-specific situations and associated emotions. For more, click here.
Young Carers NSW
This website provides information on support and counselling services, has a section for young carers with families from non-English speaking backgrounds, as well as information for specific age groups. For more, click here.
Disclaimer
- The legal and other information contained in this Section is up to date to 13 September 2010.
- This Manual only refers to the law and practices applying to the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW).
- MHCC does not guarantee the accuracy nor is responsible for the content or the currency of the content of external documents and websites linked to this Manual.