Ruah Legal Services and Mental Health Law Centre

20/03/2026

Yesterday we stood with Social Reinvestment WA on Closing the Gap Day, to hand the Open Letter to Close Unit 18 to Members of WA Parliament.

The letter calls on the Government to close Unit 18 immediately, implement the recommendations of the Coronial Inquest into the death of 16-year-old Yamatji boy, Cleveland Dodd, invest in alternatives to prison and Aboriginal led-led solutions, and deliver accountability and justice for Cleveland Dodd and his family.

Closing the Gap Day is an important day of reflection and is a call to action. The Closing the Gap targets commit governments to reducing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in custody, as well as lowering rates of su***de.

Meaningful action on these commitments must be taken to address the distressing disparities in socio-economic outcomes and life expectancy between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and to prevent more deaths of children.

The 2026 Close the Gap report (https://closethegap.org.au/ctg-annual-reports/) highlights that although Australia has formally committed to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, bold action in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is required for the true structural transformation that is needed.

It shows that better outcomes are achieved when power is shared and communities are empowered to lead.

16/03/2026

We are thrilled to share that our Senior Policy Lawyer, Elle de Koning, was named 2026 Woman Lawyer of the Year at the Women Lawyers of Western Australia Honours Dinner on Friday evening.

This prestigious award recognises women who have made outstanding contributions to justice and the legal profession through their professional skill and excellence, encouragement and inspiration to women within the legal profession, and their contributions to the community.

Elle played a pivotal role in advocating for the Criminal Law (Mental Impairment) Act 2023, and since its introduction has been instrumental in delivering targeted community legal education and training about the legislation and how it works in practice.

Alongside her policy and law reform work, Elle maintains a small caseload of complex matters. She utilises her expert knowledge of the law and mental health system to advocate for clients with severe mental impairment, promoting justice and equality for all women and people by upholding the voices of the most vulnerable and challenging laws that disproportionately affect them.

Elle is a highly respected role model who is known for her exceptional work ethic, legal excellence, and genuine kindness and compassion and celebrating this recognition made for an evening to remember.

Thank you to Women Lawyers of Western Australia for hosting this wonderful event that celebrates the accomplishments of women shaping the legal profession in Western Australia.

Congratulations, Elle! The RLS team are incredibly proud of you and lucky to work alongside you.

09/03/2026

26/02/2026

Ruah Legal Services and Mental Health Law stand with Social Reinvestment WA in calling for changes to The Criminal Code Amendment (Post and Boast Offence) Bill 2025 that was reintroduced to Parliament yesterday.

The report produced by the Standing Committee on Legislation has found that the Bill will likely result in more charges against young people than adults, including children as young as 10 years-old, with a disproportionate impact on Aboriginal youth.

We support Social Reinvestment WA’s call to amend the Bill to protect children and young people. The focus must be investment in diversion, education and prevention.

05/02/2026

We stand in solidarity with all those who gathered peacefully in Boorloo on Invasion Day, Monday 26 January 2026.

We are deeply concerned by the act of terror at the rally, where a homemade device containing volatile chemicals, nails and ball bearings was thrown toward a crowd. Police confirmed it had the potential to cause serious harm or loss of life.

We are sorry for the fear experienced by Aboriginal people and their allies during this peaceful act of truth-telling, and that this credible threat did not receive the seriousness or visibility it deserved.

This incident sits within a broader context of ongoing racialised violence and attempts to silence First Nations voices. We acknowledge the distress this has caused and the disproportionate risks First Nations peoples face when exercising their democratic rights.

As an organisation committed to equity, safety and justice, Ruah condemns this violence, affirms the right of First Nations peoples to gather and speak safely, and will continue to centre First Nations leadership in our work.

Support is available via 13YARN (13 92 76)- free, confidential crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Read Ruah's full response > https://bit.ly/4rvBdUH

03/02/2026

We are excited to share that our Principal Lawyer, Luke Cassidy, is participating in this important panel discussion at the Legal Aid WA Summer Series on Thursday 12 February.

Since the commencement of the Criminal Law (Mental Impairment) Act 2023 (CLMI) Ruah Legal Services and Mental Health Law Centre has represented clients in Limiting Term Order hearings, Fitness to Stand Trial proceedings, Special Proceedings and Mental Impairment Review Tribunal Hearings.

Under CLMI, where an accused person is unable to instruct their legal practitioner, the legal practitioner may exercise independent discretion and act in a way they reasonably believe to be in the accused’s best interests.

Luke will share reflections on balancing the complexities of this representation, and our work in ensuring that persons with mental impairment are treated fairly when they encounter the justice system.

Tickets are available here: https://www.legalaid.wa.gov.au/lawyers/continuing-professional-development/summer-series-cpd-program

26/01/2026

Today, we acknowledge 26 January as a Day of Mourning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples - not a celebration.

For many, this date marks the beginning of profound loss following 1788 and the Frontier Wars that followed. While Australia Day has only been a national public holiday since 1994, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have recognised 26 January as a Day of Mourning for generations.

Today is not about division, but deeper understanding. Ruah Legal Services and Mental Health Law Centre stands in solidarity with the world’s oldest continuing cultures and invites everyone to pause, reflect, and listen to the full story of this country as we move toward a more inclusive national day.

CHANGE YOUR UNDERSTANDING
CHANGE YOUR HEART
CHANGE THE DATE

🖤💛❤️

20/01/2026

Ruah Legal Services and Mental Health Law Centre is pleased to support Social Reinvestment WA’s submission to the National Inquiry into Australia’s Youth Justice and Incarceration System.

We recognise the urgent need for reform in Western Australia, including:

⚖️ Enforceable national youth justice standards
National standards must be enforceable and consistent with Australia’s international human rights obligations.

📊 Better measures of youth justice outcomes
Governments must move beyond a narrow financial and compliance lens and develop meaningful measures of success, including access to diversionary program and their effectiveness.

🧠 Timely access to mental health assessment and treatment
The Coronial Inquest into the death of Cleveland Dodd exposed critical gaps in access to mental health services for children in detention, particularly when young people are held in facilities not designed for children. Children and young people must have access to appropriate mental health care and court-related assessments, including fitness to stand trial. In WA, current wait times for fitness assessments exceed 20 weeks—leaving young people in detention undiagnosed, untreated, and unable to progress their legal matters.

We support the 19 recommendations made by Social Reinvestment WA and call on the State and Federal governments to create a clear reform agenda and uphold the rights of children in the justice system.

23/12/2025

📌 HOLIDAY CLOSURE NOTICE

RLS will be closed from Wednesday 24 December 2025 and will reopen on Monday 5 January 2026.

🤍 We know this time of year can be difficult for many. If you need support, help is available:

☎️ Mental Health Emergency Response Line (MHERL)
1300 555 788
This service offers 24-hour support for people in the Perth metropolitan area experiencing a mental health crisis.

☎️ Lifeline
13 11 14
This service offers 24-hour support for people experiencing emotional distress, including crisis support, su***de prevention, mental health, and domestic and family violence support.

🌿 We wish everyone a safe and restorative break and look forward to continuing our work in 2026.

22/12/2025

Last week the Coroner made recommendations to immediately close Unit 18 following the release of the devastating findings that 16-year-old Yamatji boy, Cleveland Dodd, died while in the care of the CEO of the Department of Justice, and that his death was foreseeable.

As we approach the holiday period our hearts are with children in Unit 18, a maximum-security adult prison.

We call on Minister Papalia, Premier Cook and the WA Labor Government to close Unit 18, fully implement the Coroner’s recommendations, invest in diversion, prevention and Aboriginal-led supports, and uphold accountability, integrity and justice for Cleveland’s family.

We encourage you to sign Social Reinvestment WA's Open Letter to Premier Cook calling for urgent change.

Thank you for your continued support to create a better youth justice system in WA. As you will know, experts and advocates have been working to improve the poor conditions in youth detention this year, but in October 2023, we tragically saw the first death of a child in detention. The next step is....

10/12/2025

WARNING: This story discusses incidents of self-harm and contains the name and image of an Aboriginal person who has died.

Ruah Legal Services and Mental Health Law Centre urge the state government to act on Coroner Philip Urquhart’s recommendation to immediately close Unit 18 following the release of the devastating findings about the death of Cleveland Dodd. This cannot wait until 2028.

Cleveland was on remand in Unit 18 when he self-harmed, dying one week later. Inquest documents show that he was confined for 22 hours a day in his cell for 74 out of the 86 days he was held in Unit 18. He had no access to running water, sunlight or fresh air. Cleveland was a Yamatji boy, just 16 years old at the time.

Coroner Urquhart found that Cleveland’s death was caused while he was a person held in care of the CEO of the Department of Justice. It was revealed that the death of Cleveland was predictable. Unit 18 was never able to provide Cleveland the support he needed.

We echo the calls of Aboriginal Legal Service of WA CEO Wayne Nannup, to immediately invest in genuine alternatives that meet the needs of children.

“The death of Master Dodd must be the catalyst for real change. The status quo - keeping Unit 18 open, building more and more detention centres, doubling down on tough on crime approaches and demonising young people, their families and their communities for juvenile crime – cannot continue. It might get votes, but will never shift the dial”.

“The evidence is staring government in the face if it cares to look at it. Investing in diversion and prevention programs to stop juvenile offending and reduce re offending gets results. It is only through investing and helping young people in the justice system, rather than torturing them to death, that meaningful change which makes communities safer, will come about.”

We call on Minister Papalia, Premier Cook and the WA Labor Government to close Unit 18, implement the Coroner’s recommendations, invest in diversion, prevention and Aboriginal led supports, and ensure accountability, integrity and justice for Cleveland’s family.
This must never happen again.

Leaders in Western Australia are urging the state government to act on Coroner Philip Urquhart's call to immediately close the notorious Unit 18, following the release of his findings into the death o...

09/12/2025

📣 RLS regional travel to expand access to legal services under the Mental Health Act continues – the last trip of 2025!

📍 Menang Noongar Country | Great Southern Region

Our lawyers, Elle de Koning and Heidi Rees travelled to Albany last week to deliver community legal education to WA Country Health Service, Community Mental Health Service and Acute Psychiatric Unit at Albany Health Campus.

Elle and Heidi also provided legal training sessions to the Aboriginal Legal Service of WA, Legal Aid WA, Great Southern Community Legal Services and Southern Aboriginal Corporation community legal services in Albany.

The sessions covered a wide range of topics including RLS practice areas, an in-depth exploration of key aspects of the intersection between criminal law, mental health and the new Criminal Law (Mental Impairment) Act 2023.

This trip was a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow community legal services and the local health service in Albany.

Through this regional, rural and remote travel we aim to improve access to justice, strengthen collaboration with WA Country Health Services, share expertise and foster connections with local legal assistance providers.

RLS is grateful for the active engagement and shared commitment to improving legal and community awareness of mental health across the Great Southern.