Barwon Health Mental Health Drugs and Alcohol Services (MHDAS) is committed to supporting lived experience as a key discipline in mental health service delivery.

We recognise the strength, courage and unique perspective of people with lived experience of mental health, as well as their carers, as a vital contribution to our service.

Hear from our lived experience team about the professional and personal rewards of working these roles.

MHDAS aims to embed lived experience opportunities into the leadership, design and delivery of our services and our LE workforce is employed in a range of roles across the service.

Staff also provide expert input into the development of new peer programs and contribute to MHDAS education activities designed to promote a greater understanding of peer work and the value of lived experience input into the service.

Peer support workers support service users, and their carers, on their recovery journeys, enhance their connection with their local communities and provide post-discharge peer support. They also provide expert input into the development of new peer programs, contribute to MHDAS education activities designed to promote a greater understanding of peer work and the value of lived experience input into the service.

Carer/consumer consultants work together to maintain a network of people in the community with Lived Experience and they facilitate the engagement of this network in service design and delivery initiatives. Consultants maintain connections with external organisations focused on gathering consumer and carer perspectives, and make this vital information available to MHDAS.

Lived experience project officers combine their project management expertise with their lived experience of being a consumer of, or carer of a person who has received, mental health and/or alcohol and other drug-related services.

Supported by the MHDAS executive team, as well as consumer and carer representatives from the broader Barwon Health community, Project Officers use the principles of co-creation, co-production and co-design to lead key service delivery projects within MHDAS.

Barwon Health MHDAS is committed to placing lived experience at the forefront of its growth and we pride ourselves on supporting consumers and carers to make the transition and join us in improving the health and wellbeing of our community.