Mental Health Ireland aims to promote positive mental health and to actively support persons with a mental illness, their families and carers by identifying their needs and advocating their rights.

The final touches are being put to the MHI Strategic Plan 2008-2012. This five year plan proposes to focus with greater clarity on how to succeed in our mission to improve the wellbeing of persons at an individual and group level over the next five years.

Other areas to receive priority attention include:

1. Volunteer recruitment and retention
   
2. Continued development of social housing throughout the country
   
3. Increase awareness / information programmes on mental health issues
   
4. Active engagement with research and other mental health research agencies
   
5. Greater service user involvement at both local and national level
   
6. Pursue appropriate funding for Training and Development programme for volunteers and carers and also to facilitate operation of the Volunteer, Advocacy and Support programme in other parts of the country following the successful piloting in Waterford Institute of Technology
   
7. Increased partnerships with HSE and other service providers