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Lorraine Powell finalist for Mental Health Awards

Posted 26 Oct 2022

Lorraine Powell, a Western Australian veteran advocate for using ‘lived experience’ to guide mental health policy and services, has been shortlisted for the Minister’s Award in the 2022 WA Mental Health Awards, presented by the WA Association for Mental Health.

During twenty years as a mental health consumer representative, Lorraine has fought to ensure the experiences and insights of mental health consumers are brought to the planning, implementation, delivery and evaluation of mental health services.

Mentally Healthy WA is particularly excited at the nomination as for many years Lorraine has helped guide the Act Belong Commit preventative mental health campaign, serving as the mental health consumer consultant representative on the Steering Committee since 2005.

Lorraine describes herself as a ‘disruptive innovator’ who challenges the norm and provides thoughts and solutions through the lens of Lived Experience, drawing not only on her own experiences, but also the experiences of many others whose stories inform her work.

Lorraine has served in many different capacities and is currently WA Coordinator for Lived Experience Australia. She has served on the National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum, is a member of the Safety and Clinical Governance Committee for Oqea, a Sane Peer Ambassador, a member of the National Register of Consumers and Carers with Mental Health Australia and is a board member of Neami National and Lived Experience Australia.

Mentally Healthy WA is delighted that Lorraine’s tireless work to lift the profile and influence of mental health consumers has been recognised and is grateful for her valued input into the Act Belong Commit campaign.

Lorraine is one of four finalists for the Minister’s Award category with all winners to be announced on November 25. Other finalists, including Act Belong Commit itself, are listed here.