Act Belong Commit

Mentally Healthy WA’s vision is to work toward a society that values mental health and where everyone has the opportunity to be mentally healthy. Its mission is to enhance population mental health by creating supportive environments that strengthen individual and community resilience. Mentally Healthy WA (based at Curtin University) operates the well-established mental health promotion campaign Act Belong Commit®, which has continued to grow in reach and impact as it helps to change attitudes towards mental health and reducing stigma towards mental illness by encouraging people to be more open about mental health issues and inspiring people to engage in activities that strengthen their mental wellbeing. The Act Belong Commit® campaign is delivered through a structured partnership model, including Schools, Community, Associate and International partnerships. As of March 2018 we have 214 signed partners on board and aim to increase our partnerships to 300 by 2019. In 2011, a team at Waseda University in Japan adapted the campaign to help children affected by the Tsunami, and more recently The National Institute of Public Health in Denmark, The Norwegian Network of Health Promoting Hospitals and Health Services (Norwegian HPH), and the Faroe Islands Council for Public Health have worked closely with the Act Belong Commit® team to roll out the framework in their countries. In 2013, Act Belong Commit® was announced the winner of the Australian Medical Association (WA) and Healthway, Healthier WA Award. The Award recognised exceptional achievement in primary prevention within the Western Australian community. The campaign has also won a Mental Health Outcome Award (2009), Mental Health Promotion and Mental Illness Prevention category, and been named a finalist in a number of other Awards over the last few years.