Project objectives
In 2014, the NSW Mental Health Commission developed Living Well: A Strategic Plan for Mental Health in NSW which included recommendations and key performance indicators to the NSW Government and identified the need for structural, long-term, whole of government reforms. The NSW Government responded to Living Well with a commitment of $115 million in funding to establish the Mental Health Reform Program, described as a ‘once in a generation overhaul of mental health care service delivery (NSW Health, 2014).
The objective of the initial three years of the reform was to strengthen community-based mental health services and create the foundation on which to continue reforms across Government over the next seven years, including collaboration with key partners (other NSW Government agencies).
The NSW Ministry of Health sought to evaluate the extent to which Tranche 1 – the first three years of the Government’s 10-year reform of Mental Health – was achieving its objectives and to identify potential areas where the program might be strengthened.