The mission of the MHIC is to be a national, collaborating roleplayer concerned with promoting mental health in South Africa. The Centre is a core project of the MRC Unit on Anxiety and Stress Disorders since the latters inception in 1997. The MHIC plays an active role in academic and clinical research trials for conditions such as obsessive-compulsive, panic, posttraumatic stress and generalised anxiety disorders. A key focus area is mental health literacy, and the MHIC regularly conducts mental health attitude and stigma surveys amongst various population and professional groups.