MHM Magazine

On 30 March 2023 a new national Mental Health Policy and Strategic Plan framework (2023-2030) was adopted by the Department of Health’s National Health Council. This marks an historic development for mental health in South Africa, as the policy sets out a new vision, mission, and strategic plan for improving the mental health of the nation. The new policy framework is an update of the previous National Mental Health Policy Framework (2013-2020), which had lapsed. The previous policy had been developed following an extensive consultation process involving 8 provincial mental health summits and engagement with over 4,000 stakeholders across the country in 2012 and 2013. Unfortunately, there were major challenges with the implementation of the previous policy. Many of the targets set out in that policy were not achieved and the Life Esidimeni tragedy occurred in 2016, during the tenure of this policy. Many have argued that if the previous policy had been properly implemented, with its targets of developing community based mental health care, Life Esidimeni would never have happened. Nevertheless, the new mental health policy represents an opportunity for all of us engaged in mental health work in South Africa to come together, learn from the experiences of the past, and to renew our commitment to improving mental health care, protecting the human rights of people living with mental health challenges, and preventing mental health conditions in our communities. So, what is in the new policy, and how does it differ from the old one? The new policy document begins by setting out the scope of the policy and the context within which this policy has been developed. It includes updated epidemiological data on the prevalence and determinants of mental health conditions, updated evidence on levels of current service provision, and recent research demonstrating effective interventions in our country. It also sets out the links with relevant norms, policies and legislation mandates in South Africa. Importantly, the policy provides new data on the economic costs of mental illness and the potential return on investment from scaling up mental health services in South Africa. This evidence was generated by a national mental health investment case commissioned by the National Treasury and the Department of Health in 2019. The investment A NEWMENTAL HEALTH POLICY FOR SOUTH AFRICA EDITORIAL Professor Crick Lund Clinical Psychologist and Researcher King’s College London and University of Cape Town Issue 3 | 2023 | MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS | 1 MHM