Janet Meagher has been a Mental Health Consumer activist and advocate for over 25 years. She has lived with schizophrenia since early 1970’s.
She is
* Currently Secretary of the World Federation for Mental Health.
* Founding member & patron of AMHCN (Aust. Mental Health Consumer Network)
* Founding member of NSW Consumer Advisory Group (NSW CAG), & at various times, office bearer, member & later, Coordinator/CEO. (1992-2001)
* Vice President, Aust. Mental Health Suicide Consumer Alliance, Trans-Cultural M.H. Editorial Board, member.
* Churchill Fellow 1994 investigating “Consumer empowerment & self-advocacy…in Great Britain, USA & Canada”
* Speaker, Educator, Trainer, Consultant, Lecturer and Author. Originator of many training programs, articles, papers, incl. A handbook on participation & partnership entitled “Partnership or Pretence”. (Published in several languages)
* Currently Director of Employment for ‘Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association’
* Representative of Consumers’ Health Forum of Australia
* Recipient of TheMHS Gold Award “for Exceptional Contribution to Mental Health Services in Australia” 2000, and the honour of being made a Member of the “ Order of Australia” (AM) in 1996 for “work as an advocate on behalf of people with mental illnesses & psychiatric disabilities”.
Janet has a broad experience at national level including the inaugural (Consumer) Co-chairperson of NCCF (2002-2004), has had extensive national involvements in past 15 years and international consumer involvements for the past 10 years.
Janet has a personal commitment to genuine consumer/carer participation and partnership, i.e. not ever being satisfied with a compromised or diluted consumer/ carer voice and holds strong ethical and informed views and am linked firmly to a range of consumer constituencies who constantly educate and update me on their issues and opinions.
