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Mental Health

National mental health strategy

The National mental health strategy is a commitment by Australian governments to improve the lives of people with a mental illness.

It was endorsed in April 1992 by the Australian Health Ministers' Conference (AHMC) as a framework to guide mental health reform. The National mental health strategy aims to:

• Promote the mental health of the Australian community
• Where possible, prevent the development of mental disorder
• Reduce the impact of mental disorders on individuals, families and the community
• Assure the rights of people with mental illness.

The strategy includes:

• the National mental health policy
• the National mental health plan
• the Mental health statement of rights and responsibilities
• the Australian health care agreements

The strategy has been reaffirmed by the health ministers a number of times since 1992. In 1998 the Second mental health plan was developed, and in 2003 the National mental health plan 2003-2008 was endorsed. Most recently, the 1992 National mental health policy was revised in 2008 and the Fourth national mental health plan was released in November 2009.

Page last reviewed: 14 March 2011