Although the Commission is not a public service care agency as defined by the Carer Recognition Act 2010, through its core functions and day to day work the Commission supports the Statement for Australia’s Carers and its 10 key principles that set out how carers should be treated and considered in policy, program and service delivery settings.

The Commission’s mission is to give mental health and suicide prevention national attention, to influence reform and to help people with lived experience of mental health issues, including carers, live contributing lives. In doing so the Commission places the engagement of not only Australians living with mental health difficulties but their families, friends and other support people at the centre of its work to influence mental health policy and service improvements.