Mental health researchers and service providers from across Australia met to produce the Orange Declaration, identifying ways to improve outcomes.

Director of the Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health Professor David Perkins contributed to the report, which recognised people in rural and regional areas typically have higher instances of mental health problems and decreased access to support.

He said there was good evidence that rural mental health was not improving, which wouldn't change if state and federal funding continued to be allocated in the same way.

Professor Perkins said to know where money should be spent more regular health data was required, rather than the current model of a national survey every 10 or so years.

He said headspace and LikeMind were examples of some of the great services offered in Orange, but too often people were "falling between the gaps".

"We've got a large group of people in what we call the 'missing middle' they're not sick enough for hospital but they're too sick for a general practitioner to be treating," he said.

Professor Perkins said the typical approach to mental health care was to introduce new services rather than build on existing ones.

"We haven't built on the psychological capability of GPs in rural and regional areas," he said.

"That's not to say some GPs aren't very good, but overall we haven't focused on it."

Professor Perkins said too often mental health care plans, which doctors provide to patients to allow them to access rebates to see a psychologist, are not followed up.

"Sometimes the effort of finding a psychologist, finding time for an appointment and finding the extra dollars can be just all too hard," he said.

Professor Perkins said one solution could be to have psychologists based inside doctors clinics.

"Patients are less likely to 'get lost' on their way to getting help if they're doctor can suggest speaking to someone in the next room," he said.

Professor Perkins presented the declaration at the International Institute of Mental Health Leadership symposium in Washington earlier this month and an Australian launch will follow in October.

The team of mental health researchers, academics, service providers, managers and commissioners hope to collaborate with mental health care professionals around the world facing similar discrepancies between the health of their regional and metropolitan populations.