Vision
A society where mental well-being and human rights are valued and promoted, and people with mental disorders have timely and affordable access to comprehensive, integrated, effective, and culturally appropriate mental health and psychosocial care, free from stigma and discrimination.
Mission
Establish an enabling environment for the enhancement of mental well being for all, through mental health promotion, illness prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, psychosocial care and protection of human rights.
Major strategies of Mental Health Programme
- Promotion of mental well being
- Prevention of suicide
- Prevention and control of substance use including alcohol
- Prevention of violence
- Strengthen infrastructure and human resources for mental health
- Monitoring and evaluation of the Mental Health Programme
The Directorate of Mental Health is the National level focal point responsible for National Mental Health programme within the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka. The Directorate is responsible for policy development and strategic planning, co-ordination, supporting implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Mental Health services in the country.
Mental health services are implemented in close collaboration with Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists and relevant professional organizations, other related ministries and departments, non- governmental organizations, civil societies and consumer groups. At the country level, the services are delivered through provincial and district health system in which curative health institutions under the provincial and the central ministries play a major role.
The changes in policy and management followed in October 2005 when the Mental Health Policy of Sri Lanka 2005-2015 was approved. The main objectives of the policy were to provide mental health services of good quality at primary, secondary and tertiary levels; to ensure the active involvement of communities, families and service users; to make mental health services culturally appropriate and evidence based; and to protect the human rights and dignity of all people with mental health disorders.
The Ministry of Health is in the process of revising the Mental Health policy 2016-2025 as mental health promotion and services in Sri Lanka and has undergone significant changes. Mental Health is an integral part of health. Mental health problems are common, with one in four people worldwide experiencing mental health problems. Therefore, the need of addressing mental health issues in a new direction is timely.