Changing mental health policy and services: lessons learnt 1993-98
Valerie Gerrand
Department of Politics, University of Melbourne
Contact Email:   vgerrandvicnet.net.au

Conventional wisdom tells us that there are no votes in mental health. If mental health is not a vote-catcher, how is it possible to get policy change in this area?

The years 1993 to 1998 offer some answers to this question. This period saw unprecedented changes to mental health policy nationally and in one particular state - Victoria.

In 1992, the Commonwealth set national mental health objectives for the first time. Through the First National Mental Health Plan 1993-98, it earmarked extra dollars to help states and territories reach those objectives.

Of all jurisdictions, Victoria went further and faster in meeting the national targets. For instance, by 1998, Victoria was the only state or territory to have closed or be in the process of closing all its stand alone psychiatric institutions. Furthermore, money used to run these institutions was re-invested in new community-based and inpatient services across the state.

Based on doctoral research-in-progress, the paper explores how and why Victoria transformed its public mental health services over this period, taking into account earlier initiatives as well as the national policy context.

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Copyright © 2003 Social Policy Research Centre.