The Mental Health Branch has a major strategic role with local health districts and specialty networks in developing policy on partnerships with government, community managed organisations (CMOs) and other relevant stakeholders. This includes improving services for people with mental health issues, engaging the government and NGO sector, optimising government and NGO contribution, and evaluating outcomes.
The Housing and Mental Health Agreement 2022 (HMA 22) is an agreement between NSW Health and the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ). It acknowledges the important relationship between housing and mental health and commits the agencies to work together and engage key stakeholders to achieve a common vision that:
"People who live with mental illness have timely access to safe, secure, appropriate housing; and mental health supports in place when needed, to sustain housing, live well in the community and lead their recovery."
Many highly vulnerable people leaving government services have multiple and complex needs or experience unpredictable exit pathways that significantly increase their risk of homelessness.
The NSW Homelessness Strategy 2018-2023 emphasises the need for accountability across government so all agencies share responsibility for preventing homelessness and increasing access to supports and services.
No Exits for Government Services into Homelessness - a framework for multi-agency action 2020 outlines agreed service principles for effective and coordinated planning across NSW government agencies to support people to move into stable accommodation with the vision that no one should leave government services into homelessness.
A number of agreements between NSW and other States have been developed to allow the cross-border transfer of persons covered by mental health legislation. Find out more about Interstate Transfer Agreements for Forensic and Civil Patients.