We can help with complaints about your experience with a service, including accessing a service, and treatment and care provided.
It's your right to speak up about your concerns with a public mental health service, and doing so may lead to improvements.
To make a complaint, you can contact us, or contact the service directly. Anyone can contact us to ask a question or discuss options for resolving a complaint.
We work to resolve complaints in ways that safeguard rights, support recovery and improve services.
Read the stories of Rosa, Joshua, Mary and Darren.
The Mental Health Act 2014 provides the legislative framework for the assessment of people who appear to have a mental illness, and the treatment of those experiencing mental illness.
The mental health principles seek to protect the rights and dignity of people receiving mental health services, and place them at the centre of their treatment and care.
A key priority for the MHCC is protecting, promoting and safeguarding the rights of people who access public mental health services.
The MHCC safeguards rights, resolves complaints about Victorian public mental health services, and recommends improvements.
Our vision and principles reflect the objectives of the Act and our consultation with consumers, families, carers and services.
Dr Lynne Coulson Barr is Victoria's first Mental Health Complaints Commissioner.
Our teams share a common commitment to having a positive impact through the work that we do.
MHCC Advisory Council members provide our team with advice across a range of areas, sharing their knowledge, lived experience and expertise.
The MHCC was created by the Mental Health Act 2014 to be a specialist independent complaints body that is accessible, supportive and responsive.
Our policies and procedures have been developed to support our work.
The MHCC is committed to protecting the privacy of your personal and health information.
We welcome applications from people with the knowledge, skills and passion to support us in achieving our goals.
We deliver a range of education and engagement initiatives to support services in achieving a positive complaints culture.
Under the Mental Health Act 2014, all public mental health services are required to provide a twice-yearly complaints report to our office.
Our frequently used terms.
We provide a range of information materials for consumers, families, carers and services.
We provide resources for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, for culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and for LGBTI people.
Access the MHCC Annual Report and other key publications.
Watch our videos on our approach, how to make a complaint, and more.
Access our links page for help in locating a particular organisation or service.
Read our latest news stories for an insight into the work that we do.
Keep informed of recent and upcoming MHCC events.
Subscribe to receive our e-bulletin, MHCC News.
To make a complaint, call us on 1800 246 054 (free call from landlines) or 03 9032 3328.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis, we encourage you to contact Lifeline's 24-hour support service on 13 11 14.
Your feedback will help guide our work as we learn and develop as an organisation.
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MHCC modified service due to COVID-19...
The MHCC’s annual report 2015-16 shows service improvements in response to people making a complaint...
In support of World Mental Health Day (10 October), we held an unveiling of a diverse range of masks created by young artists as part of our youth engagement project, The Different Faces of Mental...
During June 2016, we will be launching a pilot project to seek valuable feedback from people who have made complaints to the MHCC. Participants will complete a 15 minute survey that will ask what we...
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The inaugural Mental Health Complaints Commissioner Advisory Council has commenced operation...
On 14 September, Commissioner Lynne Coulson Barr, Deputy Commissioner Bee Mitchell-Dawson and Principal Advisor, Strategic Projects and Engagement, Anthony Stratford, delivered an interactive and...
In support of National Youth Week (8-17 April), we will be working with Victorian public mental health services to pilot our youth art and engagement project, ‘The Different Faces of Mental...
Commissioner Lynne Coulson Barr, MHCC, MHCC staff, Victorian Public Sector, Pride March, Melbourne Midsumma Festival, LGBTIQ, Pride groups,...
On 14 April, Commissioner Lynne Coulson Barr met with Nikki Holland to talk about her visual diary of creative ideas relating to mental health recovery. The diary draws on Nikki’s lived...