Photo Credit: Tebatso Mabilisa, Parliament of South Africa
CPMH Director, Prof Crick Lund, was recently invited to address researchers from the Parliament of South Africa.
He spoke on the South African Mental Health Policy Framework and its implementation, highlighting the development of mental health care in the country, from the colonial and apartheid eras where institutionalisation and custodial care were the norm, to modern-day treatment that focus largely on primary-level care within the community.
The address culminated in a discussion around recent policy developments stemming largely from the 2011 National Health Council (NHC) resolution that mental health services should be reviewed. This resolution was the precursor for the important national summit in 2012 themed “Scaling up investment in mental health for a long and healthy life for all South Africans”.
Finally, he touched on the outcomes of this summit, highlighting the eight catalytic objectives that are being used to finalise the “Mental Health Policy Framework 2013-2020”, as well as its implementation and monitoring.
