The Federal Government has released a draft Ten-Year Roadmap for National Mental Health Reform for public consultation.

The Roadmap aims to provide governments, the community sector, workplaces and communities  with a measurable, long term national reform plan for mental health which will guide where attention and funding is focused over the next 10 years.

The Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler said more needs to be done to provide a system that provides all the levels of care people living with mental illness need.

“We especially need to target our efforts at those who are hard-to-reach and vulnerable, and stop them from falling between the cracks and from being shunted from one service to another. We also need to work harder to break down the stigma, discrimination and misunderstanding that often surrounds mental illness,” he said.

The Roadmap will identify the most important directions and actions that need to be undertaken to achieve this vision over the next ten years.

Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Minister for Disability Reform, Jenny Macklin,said the Roadmap would complement the Government’s progress towards a National Disability Insurance Scheme.

“We’re taking big steps to help improve the lives of people with mental illness. As a Labor Government we are committed to making sure that no Australian is left behind, and that everyone has the opportunity to reach their potential,” Ms Macklin said.

COAG agreed to develop the Roadmap in 2011 and the Australian Government, States and Territories have been working with mental health experts and consumer and carer representatives to develop the draft.

Public comments on the draft will be used to help finalise the roadmap for COAG to consider in early 2012.

The online survey will be available until 1 February 2012 on the mental health page of the Department of Health and Ageing website – www.health.gov.au/mentalhealth

The ]Government has committed to a record investment of $2.2 billion over five years to build a better mental health system.