12Objectives

12 Objectives

In pursuit of the highest attainable standard of mental health and wellbeing for the people of Victoria, this Act has the following objectives—

(a) to promote conditions in which people can—

(i) experience good mental health and wellbeing; and

(ii) recover from mental illness or psychological distress;

(b) to reduce inequities in access to, and the delivery of, mental health and wellbeing services;

(c) to provide for comprehensive, compassionate, safe and high-quality mental health and wellbeing services that promote the health and wellbeing of people living with mental illness or psychological distress and that—

(i) are accessible; and

(ii) respond in a timely way to people's needs and recognise that these needs may vary over time; and

(iii) are consistent with a person's treatment, care, support and recovery preferences wherever possible; and

(iv) are available early in life, early in onset and early in episode; and

(v) recognise and respond to the diverse backgrounds and needs of the people who use them; and

(vi) provide culturally safe and responsive services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in order to support and strengthen connection to culture, family, community and Country; and

(vii) connect and coordinate with other support services to respond to the broad range of circumstances that influence mental health and wellbeing including alcohol and other drug support services and treatment; and

(viii) include a broad range of treatment options with the aim of providing access to the same treatment and support irrespective of whether a person is receiving voluntary or compulsory treatment; and

(ix) include a broad and accessible range of voluntary treatment and support options—

(A) to enable a reduction in the use of compulsory assessment and treatment; and

(B) to enable a reduction in the use of seclusion and restraint with the aim of eliminating its use within 10 years;

(d) to promote continuous improvement in the quality and safety of mental health and wellbeing services including by ensuring that the experiences of people living with mental illness or psychological distress, and the people receiving treatment, their carers, families and supporters, are at the centre of changes in practices and service delivery and the design and evaluation of systems;

(e) to protect and promote the human rights and dignity of people living with mental illness by providing them with assessment and treatment in the least restrictive way possible in the circumstances;

(f) to recognise and respect the right of people with mental illness or psychological distress to speak and be heard in their own voices, from their own experiences and from within their own communities and cultures;