The revised National Standards for Mental Health Standards were formally launched by Her Excellency, the NSW Governor Marie Bashir AC, CVO at the Mental Health Services (TheMHS) conference in Sydney on 16 September 2010, in conjunction with the launch of the Multicultural Mental Health Australia National Cultural Competency Tool, linked to the Diversity Standard (Standard 4) of the Standards.

The first National Standards for Mental Health Services (the Standards) were developed in 1996 with the primary focus on raising the quality of acute mental health services. Since that time there has been increased service provision in the community – both clinical and non-clinical, an expansion of the non-government and private sectors, and a greater focus on the role of the primary care sector in mental health.

A review of the Standards was completed in 2008 and Australian Health Ministers Conference (AHMC) endorsed them in September 2010. The revised Standards have a greater emphasis on Recovery and will be implemented within a diverse range of mental health services – public, private and non-government organizations and wherever mental health care is delivered such as drug and alcohol services, community based mental health services and primary care.

Implementation Guidelines for the National Standards for Mental Health Services

There are three implementation guideline documents to accompany the Standards. They provide more detail to inform the implementation of the Standards, including clear directions on how the criteria of the Standards apply to different services.

The three implementation guidelines are:

1. Implementation Guidelines for Public and Private Mental Health Services;

2. Implementation Guidelines for Non Government Providers of Community Mental Health Services; and

3. Implementation Guidelines for Office Based Mental Health Services.

These guidelines have been developed with significant input and recommendation from areas covering the following population:

- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander;

- Cultural and Linguistic Diverse (CALD); and

- Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD).

The Standards and guidelines can be accessed at the following websites.

The Mental Health Standing Committee website: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/mhsc/publishing.nsf/Content/publications-1
The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) website: http://www.health.gov.au.

Hard copies of the Standards and the guidelines can also be requested directly from the National Mailing and Marketing (please quote the Ordering Code: MH259) at:

National Mailing and Marketing
PO Box 7077
Canberra ACT 2610
P: (02) 6269 1000
Website: www.nationalmailing.com.au