Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Mental Health Act 1986 - SECT 5

Objectives of the Department

5. Objectives of the Department

The objectives of the Department under this Act are as follows-

   (a)  to establish, develop, promote, assist and encourage mental health
        services which-

   (i)  provide standards and conditions of care and treatment for people with
        a mental disorder which are in all possible respects at least equal to
        those provided for people suffering from other forms of illness; and

   (ii) take into account the age-related, gender-related, religious,
        cultural, language and other special needs of people with a mental
        disorder; and

   (iii) minimize the adverse effects of mental disorders on the individual
        and his or her family and community; and



   (iv) are comprehensive and accessible; and

   (v)  are designed to promote the mental health of, and reduce the incidence
        of mental disorder in, the community; and

   (vi) provide for intervention at an early stage of mental disorder; and

   (vii) support people with a mental disorder in the community and
        co-ordinate with other community services; and

   (viii) provide information on, and access to, complaint mechanisms about
        standards of treatment and care; and

   (ix) encourage patients and other people with a mental disorder to
        participate as far as possible in the development and operation of
        those services;

   (b)  to ensure that patients and other people with a mental disorder are
        informed of their legal rights and other entitlements under this Act
        and that the relevant provisions of this Act are explained to patients
        and other people with a mental disorder in the language, mode of
        communication or terms which they are most likely to understand;

   (c)  to ensure that appropriate facilities and services are available for
        the care and treatment of security patients and forensic patients.