Recommendation 65

What the Royal Commission said

The Royal Commission recommends that the Victorian Government:

• include evaluation in new mental health and wellbeing programs, initiatives and innovations
• develop a strategy so evaluation informs ongoing decision making about policies and investment
• promote evaluation in the mental health and wellbeing system through guidance and support.

What are the opportunities?

Evaluation involves collecting and using information to improve learning and decision making. When done well, it demonstrates what works and what does not work, and for whom, in what context and why. Evaluation supports good practice and policy. It gives people a say about decisions and services that affect their lives.

The Royal Commission and Productivity Commission (in its Mental Health Inquiry Report) recommend that program design and delivery include evaluation. This helps with continuous improvement.

Using knowledge about what works from evaluation helps programs achieve better mental health and wellbeing outcomes. It also ensures public funds are spent in the best way.

The Royal Commission and Productivity Commission recommend people with lived experience are involved in all stages of evaluation. This supports the production of more valuable services, programs and policies.

What are we doing?

• Evaluation links to Recommendation 1 and Recommendation 49 about outcomes and performance measurement. For these recommendations we are designing a new Mental Health and Wellbeing Outcomes and Performance Framework. People with lived experience are central to the design.
• We are developing an evaluation strategy to promote consistent approaches to evaluation
• This includes processes and tools to support evaluation and help us understand more about what works
• Evaluation findings will be shared and used to support implementing the recommendations, new programs and improvements
• Evaluations of several programs are currently underway and others are in planning stages
• We will continue to work with people with lived experience for all stages of evaluation.