Charter 2020: Principles for Mental Health Reform
Advocacy
LELAN joined with 107 mental health and suicide prevention organisations to launch Charter 2020 on mental health.
This is our Charter 2020: Time to Fix Mental Health
Australia’s mental health requires urgent action. The Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health provides a once in a generation opportunity to realise our nation’s mental wealth, and finally to fix our ailing mental health system. We know that investing in mental health provides substantial personal and economic benefits. We know what to do.
It’s time to fix mental health.
Strike a new national agreement for mental health
An agreement that delivers integration and coordination of mental health services, including agreed objectives, indicators, monitoring arrangements and funding between all levels of government.
Build a mental health system that is truly person led
A system centred on what people with lived experience mental health issues and their carers say they need, including the structures and processes required to ensure co-design of services and programs.
Address the root causes of mental health issues
Eliminate stigma and discrimination and address the social and environmental determinants of poor mental health including housing, employment, trauma, physical health, income support, and environment.
Invest in early intervention and prevention
Programs and supports that intervene early to prevent people from becoming mentally ill and stop emerging mental illnesses from becoming more severe.
Fund Indigenous mental health, wellbeing and suicide prevention according to need
Including dedicated strategic responses co-designed and co-implemented with Indigenous leaders, consumers and communities. This should be guided by the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing 207-2023, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy 2013, and the Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Declaration.
Provide integrated, comprehensive support services and programs
Full suites of services and programs required to support mental health and ensure intensive, team based and integrated care is available for all those experiencing a mental health crisis, and addressing the needs of people who have traditionally missed out, such as culturally and linguistically diverse, LGBTIQ+ populations, and people living with intellectual disability.
Expand community based mental health care
Ensure there are psychosocial programs and team based care options to provide community based care and to avoid hospitalisation wherever possible.
Support workforce development
Invest in systematic workforce development, including peer workers, volunteers, paid and unpaid carers, community workers and clinicians.
Build an evidence based, accountable and responsive system
Ensure constant research and evaluation, transparent monitoring of prevalence, availability of services and programs, system performance and gaps. Ensure targeted and timely response to identified gaps, system failures and poo performance.
