Lived Experience
Mental Health Australia recognises the unique and critical contribution of people with lived and living experience of mental ill-health, family, carers and supporters, in championing change in Australia’s mental health system. These contributions enable us as a sector to make meaningful strides in improving the mental health of all people in Australia.
Changes from 1 July 2025
Due to a change in funding, the National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum and National Register of Mental Health Consumer and Carer Representatives closed on 30 June 2025.
Two new peak bodies, the National Mental Health Consumer Alliance and Mental Health Carers Australia, now drive lived experience advocacy nationally.
Information about the establishment of the two new peaks can be found on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing here.
Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Senior Officials (MHSPSO) Lived Experience Group
Mental Health Australia was engaged by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care to establish a Lived Experience Group (LEG) to provide diverse lived experience perspectives into the governance and implementation of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement (National Agreement).
To ensure a people-centred mental health and suicide prevention system for all people living in Australia, the National Agreement requires those with experience of mental ill health and/or suicide and their families, carers and support people to be consulted throughout its implementation. This includes the provision of advice and identifying opportunities for people with lived experience of mental ill health and/or suicide to influence matters of service design, planning, implementation, evaluation, data and governance.
The LEG provides lived experience perspectives to the Mental Health Suicide Prevention Senior Officials (MHSPSO) Group, and its working and project groups, established to oversee the implementation of the National Agreement.
National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum
Please note: funding for the National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum (NMHCCF) ceased on 30 June 2025.
For 23 years, the National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum (NMHCCF) was the combined national voice for mental health consumers and carers participating in the development of Australian mental health sector and its services.
The NMHCCF functioned under the auspices of Mental Health Australia.
The NMHCCF gave mental health consumers and carers the opportunity to meet, form partnerships and be involved in the development and implementation of mental health policy reform.
While the NMHCCF has now ceased operations, you can visit the NMHCCF website to access a range of position statements, advocacy briefs, and resources.
National Register
The National Register was established in 2007 and was a project at Mental Health Australia, funded by the Australian Government Department of Health until 30 June 2025.
The National Register was a pool of trained mental health consumer and carer representatives from across Australia, who worked at the national level to provide a strong consumer and carer voice in the mental health sector.
Members of the National Register used their lived experience, knowledge of the mental health system and communication skills to advocate and promote the issues and concerns of mental health consumers and carers.
If you are seeking lived experience representatives, please contact the lived experience peak bodies: the National Mental Health Consumer Alliance and Mental Health Carers Australia.
Annual Issues and Opportunities Workshops
Mental Health Australia hosts an Annual Issues and Opportunities Workshop for members of the National Register of Mental Health Consumer and Carer Representatives (National Register) and the National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum (NMHCCF).
Over many years, these two-day workshops have supported the development of advocacy approaches, policy positions, and leadership skills among mental health consumers and carers participating in national policy initiatives. The workshops have also provided important networking opportunities for representatives.
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing funded the Annual Issues and Opportunities Workshops as part of the Stronger Mental Health Consumer and Carer Representation program.
The 2025 Annual Issues and Opportunities Workshop was the final workshop for these two national groups, as funding for the National Register and the NMHCCF ceased on 30 June, 2025. As part of the evolution of lived experience, the Commonwealth Government has funded new lived experience peak bodies, one for consumers and one for carers, family and kin.
The final Annual Issues and Opportunities workshop was held in Canberra on 7 and 8 May 2025 and was attended by 57 mental health consumer and carer representatives, as well as staff from Mental Health Australia.
The theme chosen for this final Annual Workshop was "Celebrating Our Past and Building Our Future." The program featured various speakers, thought-provoking sessions that explored opportunities to stay connected, to advocate through different mechanisms, and to celebrate the achievements of the Forum and Register.
This report provides highlights from the two-day event, as well as a summary of the key themes from the workshop and the workshop evaluation survey.