Objective  To analyze the status quo of mental health service system construction in Jixiang province for developing improvement strategies.

  Methods  We conducted an online survey among all mental health service-related medical institutions registered in Jiangxi province till November 2018. Information on organization establishment, number of beds, human resources, and medication and healthcare services of the institutions were collected and compared to those in 2012.

  Results  There were totally 246 mental health service institutions registered in Jiangxi province, including 81 specialized hospitals and 165 psychiatry departments or clinics in general hospitals, by the end of 2018. For the institutions surveyed, the total number of beds specified and available for patients with mental diseases were 10 419 and 15 000. For 100 000 population during the period of 2012 – 2018, the average number of psychiatrists increased from 1.4 to 2.83 (including the 403 psychiatrists transferring from other departments after retraining) and the average number of beds for mental disease patients from 14.9 to 33.7, respectively; the number of counties with grassroots networks for mental disease prevention and control also increased from 18 to 100 during the same period. All of the indicators mentioned above met national requirements.

  Conclusion  During the period from 2012 to 2018, the construction of mental health service system in Jiangxi province has been promoted remarkably.