The Development and Evolution of Community Mental Health Policies in China from 1998 to 2013

This paper presents a detailed analysis of the development and evolution of community mental health policies in China, from their reestablishment in 1998 to the establishment and implementation of the "Mental Health Law of the People's Republic of China" in 2013. The development of these policies across a 15-year period is segmented into three distinct phases, each characterized by a thorough exposition and an encompassing view. The paper scrupulously reviews and elucidates the crucial occurrences in each phase, emphasizing the significant impact of the prevailing conditions on the progression of policy formation. The paper concludes by sharing insights acquired from the policy development process.Within this framework, community mental health policies entail a myriad of legislations, strategies, methodologies, protocols, regulations, and ordinances, instituted by national governance to enhance the proliferation of community-based mental health services.