Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia

Mental Illness Fellowship Australia (MIFA) is a national mental health organisation in Australia. Its key activities involve advocacy for the rights of mentally ill people and providing the community with the latest information concerning mental illness.

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History

MIFA first came about in 1986 as an association of Schizophrenia Fellowships around Australia. In its early days, MIFA acted as an easy way for state-based organisations to keep in contact with each other and exchange information and the latest research relating to mental illness.

As time went on, the organisation became more and more sophisticated, moving into community education and advocacy.

MIFA was formally formed in 1995, under the name Schizophrenia Fellowships' Council of Australia. The name was changed in November 2001, to reflect MIFA's growing role.

Members

State-based organisations that are members of Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia

• Canberra Schizophrenia Fellowship
• Schizophrenia Fellowship of New South Wales
• Mental Illness Fellowship of North Queensland
• Schizophrenia Fellowship of Queensland
• Mental Illness Fellowship of Victoria
• Northern Territory Association of Relatives & Friends of the Mentally Ill
• Mental Illness Fellowship of South Australia
• Mental Illness Fellowship of Western Australia

Combined, these organisations have approximately 15,000 members across Australia.

Services

Nationally, MIFA is rolling out the Well Ways program, designed to offer support to families and friends of people with mental illness by providing education and support mechanisms.

The project originated as an initiative of the Mental Illness Fellowship of Victoria that, after a successful trial run in 2004, is being implemented in other MIFA member organisations across Australia.

See also

• Emotions Anonymous
• GROW
• Recovery, Inc.
• Self-help groups for mental health