Skip to content
An ACT Government Website
Accessibility
Contact us
Accessibility Contact us

About the Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing

Improving mental health and wellbeing is both an individual and community issue. The Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing takes a whole of government and community approach.

Our work aims to support and maintain positive mental health in the ACT community. We lead and facilitate a range of activities to understand and address what is required to support the mental health and wellbeing needs of our community.

The office was established in 2018 and has built positive working relationships with the ACT mental health sector and the broader community.  We continue to lead change projects with and for the community.

Vision

The ACT vision for mental health is for a kind, connected and informed community working together to promote and protect the mental health and wellbeing of all.

Mission

We lead change, promote and influence to improve mental health outcomes for the people of the ACT community.

Our approach

We work towards our mission by embedding and elevating lived and living experience, fostering partnerships with consumers, carers, community and across government, and using evidence and data to drive innovation and reform.

  • Collaborative
  • Person-centred
  • Evidence-informed
  • Inclusive
  • Innovative

Functions

Facilitate, influence and advise

We work in partnerships and take a whole of person, whole of community, whole of government approach.

We facilitate, influence and advise towards improving mental health and promoting wellbeing by focusing on areas that impact mental health.

Awareness raising

We undertake awareness raising, promote conversations and coordinate action on the prevention of mental illness and suicidality, the promotion of mental wellbeing, and the reduction of stigma and discrimination.

Research and knowledge translation

We use, create and disseminate evidence for innovation and reform.

Our commitment to lived experience

Lived and living experience (LLE) and the knowledge and expertise that LLE brings, is at the centre of what we do and how we seek to lead. The office endeavours, at all stages of our work together, to engage LLE, both direct LLE and carers, family and kin.

We create settings where the voices of LLE are elevated and amplified, at all levels. The office is committed to lived and living experience leadership at all levels of decision making and to strong development of LLE/Peer Workforce.

Our commitment to community engagement

The office leads many communication and community engagement activities. We developed the Commitment to Community Engagement to guide our engagement activities.

The commitment outlines how the office works with the community. We aim to share timely information on emerging issues in mental health and wellbeing and promote links to helpful websites.

Our work plan

Our work plan outlines the key current and future activities being undertaken in conjunction with our partners. The work plans have been informed through co-design processes to ensure the work we are leading and supporting contributes to the mental health and wellbeing of our community.

To read about the achievements relating to the Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing Work Plan 2019-2021, please see:

To read about the achievements relating to the Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing Work Plan 2023-2024, please see:

Evaluation

When the office was created it was agreed that an independent evaluation would take place after 5 years.

Mid-term review

Independent evaluators undertook a mid-term review of the office in 2020. The purpose of the review was to ensure the office was progressing in line with its intended purpose. The report set out actions which the office progressively implemented.

Download the mid-term report [PDF 1.3 MB]

Final review

The final review took place in 2023. It considered:

  • effectiveness and quality
  • achievements and main projects
  • the role of the Coordinator-General.

The evaluation included:

  • a review of documents
  • desktop research
  • consultations
  • a public survey of around 1,000 people in Canberra.

The evaluation found positive sentiment for the office across community and external stakeholders. It identified the office as influential in the mental health sector and noted its achievements across core functions. It also cited the role of Coordinator-General as a critical enabler.

The report made recommendations to:

  • improve the community’s understanding of the office
  • raise the office's profile
  • improve systemic reform work.

The office is considering the recommendations. We will share details of the implementation on this webpage.

Download the final report [PDF 1.3 MB]

Staff

  • Dr Sarah Miller, Coordinator-General

Dr Miller is supported by a highly skilled and dedicated team.

Contact us

For more information about our work, email OfficeforMHW@act.gov.au.