Mental Health Rights Manual
An online guide to help explain your legal and human rights in the mental health and human services systems in New South Wales.
Read moreRecovery Oriented Language Guide
Words are important. The language we use and the stories we tell have great significance to all involved.
See the guide
It is with deep sadness that MHCC heard about the death of MHCC’s first CEO Leonie Manns. 
Leonine was CEO from 1994 to 1998. As a person with lived experience Leonie had a passion for advocating in the sector and in particular for consumer participation. Leonie made a strong commitment to advocacy in the mental health sector, to make a difference, improve services and make life better for people living with mental health conditions. Leonie was on the Board of Mental Health Australia, she was also a member of the Mental Health Review Tribunal from 1995 until 2016 and remained a member of the Guardianship Division of NCAT until her death. Leonie worked tirelessly towards consumer driven services and was an inaugural member of the NSW Consumer Advisory Group for Mental Health and the Mental Health Council of Australia. She was the Co-Chair of the World Federation of Psychiatric Users and an alternate delegate to a Disability Panel of Experts at the UN. She was also the Chair of the NSW Disability Council (the official advisory body to government) for four years and the Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee for Children.
Those of us who knew Leonie will remember her fondly. She had a long history of fighting for mental health reform in NSW and Australia. She was a passionate, frank and fearless activist and strong feminist, who never stopped advocating for the human rights of all people living with mental illness and psychosocial disability.
MHCC send our deepest condolences to her family and friends.
Leonie’s service will be held on Wednesday 18 September at 2 pm at The Eastern Suburbs Memorial Cemetery and Crematorium at Matraville
