New Mental Health Commission Legislation

In honour of Mental Health Month the Minister for Mental Health, Hon Kevin Humphries has released a document entitled, “DELIVERING REFORM to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the NSW community Legislation to establish the NSW Mental Health Commission”.

This is a guide for the community to the legislation to establish a new Mental Health Commission for NSW after an extensive state-wide consultation process, involving both an on-line survey and forums held in various places around NSW on the ‘broad strategic directions for reform and how this could shape a Mental Health Commission’.

The Minister in the foreword says: “It will underpin the development of legislation to establish the Commission and enable it to:

§ drive reform of the NSW mental health system to improve the lives of people with a mental illness;

§ ensure a more accountable mental health system by monitoring and reporting on services and service delivery;

§ nurture the emergence of innovation and community-based models of service.

 The guide acknowledges ARAFMI and CAGs roles in these processes:

“In partnership with the Taskforce, the NSW Consumer Advisory Group – Mental Health (CAG) and Association of Relatives and Friends of the Mentally Ill (ARAFMI) accessed its networks through face to face meetings and an online survey.”

The most important information contained in the guide is the outline of the new NSW Mental Health Commission’s functions:

• The Commission will be independent of government, reporting both to the Minister and to Parliament;
• The Commission will have a clear goal of promoting the improvement of mental health services by:
  •  helping to develop a strategic plan;
  • reviewing and reporting on services; and,
  •  reporting on gaps in services the interface between them;
• The Commission will establish formal community and stakeholder advisory mechanisms and processes
• The Commission will undertake anti-stigma and community education on mental health issues.
• The Commission will not 'hold' the mental health budget for NSW but will, " review, monitor and report to the Government, the Parliament and the public on, in effect, how those funds are being used by assessing how services are working and whether they are doing a good job with real results."

The guide advises, “Work is now underway to draft the NSW Mental Health Commission Bill 2011. The Government’s intention is to introduce legislation before the end of 2011 and ensure the Commission is fully operational by 1 July 2012.”

ARAFMI welcomes the establishment of the new Commission and its role. For more detailed information read the guide by clicking on the link below.