People with lived experience of mental health conditions can offer invaluable holistic perspectives on the accessibility, acceptability and effectiveness of mental health services, unmet needs and priorities, approaches to improving continued engagement with mental healthcare, and insights into experiences of stigmatization and discrimination, among many others. In this Editorial on behalf of the PLOS Medicine Editors, Louise Gaynor-Brook discusses the role of people with lived experience in informing redesign of mental healthcare to extend its reach and benefit, as part of a broader mission for recognition of mental health as a fundamental human right — the 2023 campaign theme of World Mental Health Day.

PLOS Mental Health is a new journal focused on advancing mental health research, treatment and care by putting lived experience of individuals and communities at the forefront of their mission. PLOS Mental Health is open for submissions now: https://journals.plos.org/mentalhealth

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