Recommendation 41

What the Royal Commission said

The Royal Commission recommends that the Victorian Government:

1. fund and support the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission (refer to Recommendation 44) to work with a network of partners, including research organisations, to lead the design and delivery of anti-stigma programs that:
   a. continue on a long-term basis; and
   b. aim to reduce the impact of stigma in a range of settings including, but not limited to, healthcare settings, workplaces and schools.


2. design and deliver an anti-stigma grants program to:
   a. support community-led organisations and community members to deliver projects that challenge stigma in Victorian settings and communities; and
   b. focus, as an immediate priority, on communities and social groups at increased risk of stigma.


3. conduct a comprehensive evaluation of anti-stigma efforts to:
   a. develop evidence about effective ways to address mental health stigma across Victoria; and
   b. inform the design and delivery of anti-stigma programs.


4. support and establish mechanisms to:
   a. address systemic issues of mental health discrimination;
   b. enhance individual access to legal protection from mental health discrimination; and
   c. enable one or two independent legal services with a demonstrated connection or ability to connect with people with lived experience of mental illness or psychological distress to initiate legal claims, including test cases relating to systemic mental health discrimination.

Update

Information about this recommendation is being updated.

Please check back here for information updates.

The Victorian Government has committed to implementing all recommendations of the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System. Rebuilding Victoria's mental health system is a 10-year reform plan, with implementation being done in a staged and sequential way. The 2021-22 Victorian State Budget invested $3.8 billion in mental health and wellbeing services and responding to the Royal Commission's recommendations.

All work is focused on ensuring Victorians get the mental health treatment, care, and support they deserve.