Consumers

A mental health consumer is a person with lived experience of mental ill-health, who once had or now has a mental illness. 

Mental health is an important part of wellbeing. If you experience mental illness, being able to access information and support to help deal with your experience is important.  A number of services are listed below that may be able to assist you.

If you need urgent assistance, see getting help.

Information and support is available from:

• The Black Dog  
• Headspace
• Health Consumers Alliance – telephone (08) 8223 1374
• beyondblue – telephone 1300 22 4636
• Headspace Kids Help Line – telephone 1800 551 800
• Lifeline – telephone 13 11 14
• Mental Illness Fellowship of SA – telephone (08) 8272 1018
• Multicultural Mental Health
• National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum
• SANE – telephone 1800 18 SANE (7263)
• The Peer Worker Project   
• Living is for everyone (LIFE): The Department of Health and Ageing's National Suicide Prevention Strategy.                                                 

Peer workers and consumer consultants

Mental health services and non-government organisations may employ peer workers to assist consumers with understanding and working with the mental health system. These agencies may also have consumer consultants as part of service review, planning and implementation. Please contact your local mental health service or non-government organisation for more information.

For statewide consumer issues, SA Health has employed a consumer consultant to liaise with consumers and consumer organisations in relation to mental health service reform and planning. If you have any concerns, comments or suggestions about consumers, contact the consumer consultant - telephone (08) 8204 9787.