Financing of mental health services: an international perspective

Financing is a critical factor in the realisation of a viable mental health system. It is the mechanism by which plans and policies are translated into action through the allocation of resources. Financing is essential for operations and the delivery of services, for the development and deployment of a trained workforce, and for the required infrastructure and technology (Chernichovsky & Chinitz, 1995; World Health Organization, 2003). Financing mechanisms can also be used to facilitate change and introduce innovations in systems (World Health Organization, 2003).