"I had nine people listening to me because of the initial belief of one incredible doctor." A person showed upholding rights was normal, possible and necessary. Nine followed. We need a national Human Rights Act. Recommendations: zurl.co/gfgZc #MentalHealth #HumanRights

Gold is the only tier with unrestricted access to private psychiatric services. Older Australians forced off Gold cover by rising premiums lose that access. And if regional private hospitals become unviable as a result, those services disappear for everyone.

BEING MH Consumers and @UniSyd are seeking feedback on discharge planning from NSW public mental health services. If you've been discharged from hospital, used community services, or attended an ED for mental health support in the past 5 years, Click here:zurl.co/ACMI4

Want to go to @themhsorg If you are: Someone with Lived Experience OR a young clinician from AU or NZ OR working in the mental health sector in the Pacific Islands; more info in the link. zurl.co/LEOzm 5 days left, you'll want to do it now. #mentalhealthconference

We're releasing the Claiming Your Human Rights report, based on real experiences of 186 consumers, carers, and kin. Sometimes hard to read, some things genuinely insightful. We need a national Human Rights Act. Resources coming soon. zurl.co/tWX6m #MentalHealth #HumanRights #LivedExperience

#HaveYourSay #Tasmanians in developing your next #mentalhealth strategy. All welcome. Ask questions, share ideas. Tues 5 May 4:30pm AEST, Online and FREE, but please register. Discussion paper: zurl.co/a2G5s Register: zurl.co/CYg4Y#HaveYourSay#Tasmanians#mentalhealth#LivedExperienceFirst

For NSW connections: the next Service Plan for People with Eating Disorders is in development, and lived experience input is being gathered now. If you've accessed NSW public health services for eating disorder support, or cared for someone who has, this survey is for you.

The Australian National Peer Workforce Census closes tonight. If you've been meaning to complete it, today is the day. Peer workers deserve to be counted, and this is how that starts. Take the Survey: zurl.co/DMuds #LivedExperience #PeerWorkforce #MentalHealth #PeerSupport

Orygen is recruiting for the SIncere study: research exploring how mental health services can address social inclusion (housing, finances, relationships, work) as part of care, not an afterthought.

Monash University's CARE Study is looking for people who provide unpaid care to someone who has experienced psychosis or bipolar disorder.

Researchers from the University of Wollongong are conducting a survey based study to understand how caring relationships are impacted by hospitalisation for suicidal crisis.

headspace is hosting a free webinar on Wednesday 22 April (1–2pm AEST) on cultural responsiveness in youth mental health.

We've posted about the Peer Workforce Census a few times, and this is another reminder. It has been extended to this Friday, 24 April. Your response contributes directly to the evidence base that shapes how peer workers are funded and recognised nationally.

🛑🛑 Attention: Peer / Lived Experience Workforce 🛑🛑 The National Census for Lived Experience (Peer) workers in mental health and suicide prevention closes on 18 April. Please take 15 minutes and share with your networks. zurl.co/JIc9O #LivedExperience #PeerWorkforce #MentalHealth #Australia

Mental Health Carers Australia is hosting a follow-up webinar with Associate Professor Marianne Wyder on Wednesday 22 April.

headspace is hosting a free webinar on Wednesday 22 April (1–2pm AEST) on cultural responsiveness in youth mental health.

One week left. The first Australian Census for Lived Experience (Peer) workers closes 18 April 2026. 15 minutes, fully confidential. Please complete it and share it widely. zurl.co/ZcI2c #LivedExperience #PeerWorkforce #MentalHealth

Content note: references suicidal distress during and after pregnancy. Monash Uni are looking for people for an important study on supporting families through perinatal suicidal distress. They're seeking individuals, family supporters, and health workers. Participants reimbursed zurl.co/W1onC

📢 Calling all Peer Workers 📢 2 weeks left on the 1st Census for Lived Experience (Peer) workers in MH and suicide prevention. If you haven't taken it , please do. If you know someone who should, please share. Ends 18 April 2026.zurl.co/Y1v4w #LivedExperience #PeerWork #MentalHealth #Australia

Thank you to all 186 people who completed our Human Rights survey. Your voices matter and we can't wait to share what we learnt, and create resources for our community. Congratulations to our$50 e-gift card winners: Mark, Mattia, Ailsa, and Narissa! 🎉 #LivedExperience #MentalHealth #HumanRights

For the first time a national Census dedicated to Lived Experience (Peer) workers in mental health and suicide prevention. Our Sharon Lawn explains why it's important in the introductory video. zurl.co/QKiBV #LivedExperience #PeerSupport #PeerWorkforce #Australia

The 2026 National Carer Wellbeing Survey is open. If you're a current or past carer, your experience belongs in this research. Closes 4 May. Confidential, free, and available in multiple languages. zurl.co/A543t

Last chance. Our Human Rights Survey closes tonight, Friday 6 March. If you've spoken up in mental health settings and been heard, share what made that possible. Your strategies matter. zurl.co/D2R14 #ExercisingYourRights #LivedExperience #MentalHealthRights #HumanRights

Two days left for our Claiming Your Human Rights Survey. If you've successfully advocated for yourself in mental health settings, there's still time to share what worked. What approach did you use? How did speaking up lead to being heard?

Reminder: Claiming Your Human Rights Survey closes Friday 6 March. Share what worked when you advocated for yourself in mental health settings. Your strategies help others understand how to claim their rights. 5-30 mins. Last chance. zurl.co/33iDH

Our Executive Director Sharon Lawn is on Episode 208 of the Thriving Minds podcast with Professor Selena Bartlett. It's a genuine conversation about mental health systems, lived experience, and what "from crisis to care" really means for people navigating that system.

We're about halfway through our Claiming Your Human Rights Survey. People are sharing what actually worked when they advocated for themselves in mental health settings. This is the kind of practical knowledge that doesn't get captured in most research.

While most human rights surveys in mental health focus on violations and breaches, we're taking a different approach. Our Claiming Your Human Rights Survey explores times when you actively advocated for yourself and it worked. When you pushed back and were heard.

Last Oct we told the Thriving Kids Committee: early intervention changes life trajectories. Children who get the right supports at the right time complete their education, build genuine friendships, enter adulthood with possibility not disadvantage.

Sharing research from Swinburne. Tipping Point is looking at how wearable tech could help predict mood in bipolar disorder tracking sleep and activity patterns. Study co-produced with lived experience researchers and needs participants across AU and NZ. Vouchers for your time. zurl.co/eCDDF

QLD followers: MHLEPQ's Human Rights Survey is now open. If you've used mental health services in Qld in the past 12 months, they want to hear about your experiences with access, discrimination, cultural safety, coercion and accountability. Responses shape advocacy for systemic reform. zurl.co/TgZLX

Our eNews came out this week - something to read over the weekend. It covers NDIS pricing consultation, PHN Business Model findings, Finding North's Perspectives 2026, and our upcoming human rights research project. Missed previous eNews? The last 12 months are on our News page zurl.co/AH46c

Sharing for @UCBerkley a study on eating patterns (not diet) affect people with bipolar disorder. Do this if you're: Aged 18-65, receiving care for bipolar, in US, Canada, UK, Australia, India $25/hour for assessments. Learn more: zurl.co/wpEnD Email [email protected]

For our South Australian connections: Carers SA's Time to Care campaign is asking all SA election candidates to commit to four practical measures for 245,000+ unpaid carers. Recognition grants, hardship relief, a dedicated Carer Card, and service navigation support. zurl.co/A0cmH

We're back from the break with our commitment to advocacy intact. The world feels complex right now, which reminds us why fighting for better mental health outcomes and genuine lived experience leadership matters so much. Ready to pick up where we left off in 2026.

Our team are officially on leave from today until the 5th of January, 2026. We're taking a well earned break and will be back on deck rested and ready to start again next year.

ABC News coverage highlights serious concerns about The Geelong Clinic's future. 73 psychiatric beds serving regional Victoria since 1998. Veterans, first responders & communities would lose vital local access to specialist care.

Lived Experience Australia has launched "The Power of Your Story" - a practical workbook for sharing lived experience safely and with impact. The resource guides people through crafting their authentic story, setting boundaries, and using lived experience in advocacy.

The University of Adelaide is hosting a webinar on gender and health equity advocacy on Monday 8 December.

Thanks to our LEA Human Rights Group for putting together our latest submission - making some important comments on the draft redesigned NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Framework Approach.

Experiences of accessing physical health care Body and mind research project – Charles Sturt University The poor physical health care of people living with mental health conditions is a major national problem.

A team of researchers at the University of Melbourne are seeking participants for a study entitled “Postvention support for suicide loss survivors with Islamic backgrounds: Insights from the Australian mental health workforce, online survey”.

Our November newsletter just dropped. The Productivity Commission's final report confirms what lived experience has been saying: the mental health system is fragmented and 500,000 people are caught in support gaps.

Struggling with sleep? @SANE is hosting a webinar about Rest and Recovery, and how trauma, stress, and anxiety can affect sleep. Better still, they will cover what you can do about it. When life feels heavy or your mind won’t switch off, sleep is often the first thing to go.

Two new frameworks now in the Lived Experience Digital Library.

Australian Catholic University (ACU) researchers are looking for volunteers for a research study about the experiences of mental health consumers, carers, and health professionals in how decisions are made regarding using Community Treatment Orders (CTOs) in New South Wales

Two days left to contribute to research that centres what people actually need, not what researchers assume. Anxiety doesn't follow a neat schedule, and neither does the relationship between social media and sleep.

LEA is involved with a project called the Mind and Body Care Navigator Project, which explores innovative ways to improve access to physical health care for mental health consumers, particularly in regional and rural Australia.

B-HART is hosting a Human Rights Day Symposium on 10 December 2025 in Adelaide, South Australia, bringing together government, researchers, service providers, and disability advocates. Keynote from Hon.

The social media and anxiety survey closes this Sunday. Not trying to nag, just a reminder in case it slipped your mind. Working with @flinders.edu.au and @qut.edu.au to understand the real patterns between social media use and anxiety.