Peer Consumer Advocacy Service

Details

A Peer Consumer Advocacy Service specifically refers to a mental health and addiction service provided by people who identify as users of current or former mental health and/or addiction services. The service places a priority on the value of the lived experience and expertise of people with experience of mental illness or addiction.

Along with a lived experience of mental and/or alcohol and other drugs (AOD) service user experience, it is important that the consumer workforce is trained specifically for the roles they are working in. Training and professional development should be on-going.

Nature and Scope
Consumer advocacy needs to be consumer driven. The Peer Consumer Advocacy Service provides support on specific issues and provides information but not advice.
Aspects of the service relevant to individuals (given the highest priority) are::
• liaison between the person accessing service and the provider delivering the service to facilitate the resolution of concerns or problems
• advocacy to enhance the Service user’s empowerment
• advocacy to uphold the Service user’s rights
• promotion of the Service user’s needs and strengths
• when relevant, assistance in legal processes pertaining to the mental health legislation
• when relevant, assistance with access a range of social service
• information about and access to other community resources and when relevant, assist with access them.
• information/explanation about the policies and protocols of the service