Submission on the Draft Mental Health and Wellbeing Bill

In the Submission on the Draft Mental Health and Wellbeing Bill the Commissioner looks at further opportunities where the Bill could be strengthened through embedding a public health approach into legislation by

1. 1. Explicitly recognising, within the Objects of the Bill, the importance of early intervention for children and young people and their families to improve long-term mental health outcomes
   2. Establishing a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Committee to develop responses, services and resources to appropriately respond to children and young people throughout South Australia;
   3. Requiring the development of a mental health services plan that is properly resourced as part of the legislative framework
   4. Formalising the Mental Health Commissioner’s role as an independent human rights based mental health advocate.
   5. Embedding a domestic violence principle to better protect all victims, including children and young people.