Within the framework of the two-year agreement on cooperation between the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the World Health Organization (WHO), covering the years 2006-2007, a number of projects related to the mental health of the country's population were provided. According to this agreement, starting from June 2007, the Public Health and Reform Center of the Ministry of Health (PHRC) started the implementation of the "Evaluation of the Mental Health System" and "Development of the Strategy for the Policy of Mental Health of the Population and Improvement of Personnel" projects in Azerbaijan. The projects were implemented with the technical and expert support of WHO.

In the WHO report of 2001 "On the state of health care in the world: Mental health, a new concept, a new hope", scientific evidence of the severity of problems associated with mental diseases was noted. At the same time, the report emphasized and justified the necessity of a society-oriented mental health system and service. In order to help in the accumulation of basic information about the mental health system in the country and regions, WHO has developed an instrument for "Assessment of the Mental Health System". With the help of "Assessment of the Mental Health System" you can get an accurate and clear view of the mental health system, and this information can create an opportunity to achieve improvements in the field of mental health and the provision of psychiatric services over a certain period of time. Information and research results obtained during the implementation of the "Evaluation of the Mental Health System" project were used in the development of the National Strategy for Mental Health.

The general leadership in the development of the "Strategy of the policy of mental health of the population and improvement of personnel" is carried out by the director of the PHRC Jeyhun Mammadov and the Chief Psychiatrist of the Ministry of Health of Azerbaijan, the National Coordinator for Mental Health Heray Heraybeili, and the technical consultant is a "Noncommunicable diseases and the environment" Program specialist of the WHO office in Azerbaijan Sevil Asadova”.

Psychiatrists, specialists of state and non-governmental organizations were included in the working group created for the development of this document. At a certain stage of the project, well-known scientists and researchers of Azerbaijan in the field of psychology and psychiatry, as well as international experts, will be involved in order to analyze and evaluate the necessary changes to the primary version prepared by the working group.

The National Mental Health Strategy was approved by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan in May 2011.

At the level of the law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On Psychiatric Support", the National Strategy for Mental Health will regulate practical activities to strengthen the mental health of the population, provide quality psychosocial support, and protect the rights and interests of people with mental disorders. This document, which includes a general overview, goals and principles, direction of activities, will create conditions for a comprehensive approach when implementing of financing services and strengthening the material and technical base of psychiatry, improving the professional training of specialists, as well as improving treatment and preventive measures in the field of mental health.