Australia: Legal Needs of People with a Mental Illness - Report
The Law and Justice Foundation of New South Wales has published a report, On the Edge of Justice: the Legal Needs of People with a Mental Illness.
A considerable number of Australians experience mental illness, and this is often associated with other social and economic disadvantage. This 2006 study used qualitative methods to examine the legal and access to justice issues experienced by people with a mental illness. It found that people with a mental illness experience a range of civil, criminal and administrative law issues. The study indicates that while people with a mental illness experience a number of legal issues with potentially serious personal and financial consequences, they can also face many barriers in having these legal issues addressed. For example, people with a mental illness can face individual and systemic barriers to accessing legal assistance. The study also found that people with a mental illness face many barriers to participating in legal processes, including tribunals and other administrative review. The report identifies strategies and innovations that improve access to legal assistance and participation in legal processes for people with a mental illness.
The Law and Justice Foundation of New South Wales is an independent statutory body working to improve access to justice in NSW, particularly for socially and economically disadvantaged people. On the Edge of Justice: the Legal Needs of People with a Mental Illness, is part of a broader research program being undertaken by the Foundation to study and report on the access to justice and legal needs of economically and socially disadvantaged people in New South Wales.