The Australian Mental Health Commission recently released the Sydney Declaration – the outcome of a meeting attended by international, national and state mental health commissioners.
The meeting, hosted by the Australian Mental Health Commission, brought together representatives from the mental health commissions of Australia, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, New Zealand and the United States as well as each Australian state and territory.
Chair of the Australian Mental Health Commission, Professor Allan Fels, said the declaration highlighted issues of shared interest that aligned with many of the National Mental Health Commission’s focus areas. He said, “our hope is that the declaration will lead to increased opportunities for cross-border collaboration that drives change and helps people living with mental health difficulties lead the kinds of lives they aspire to.”
The Sydney Declaration focuses on a commitment to 5 key areas of mental health:
– Indigenous mental health
– Seclusion and restraint
– Work and mental health
– Knowledge exchange
– International benchmarking