The CPMH grew out of a shared vision and commitment to collaboration between members of the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at the University of Cape Town (UCT), and the Psychology Department at Stellenbosch University (SU).
At UCT, the establishment of a Centre to undertake research and training in Public Mental Health was initially suggested as an outcome of the groundbreaking Mental Health and Poverty Project (MHaPP), led by Alan Flisher and Crick Lund. At the same time, Leslie Swartz, Ashraf Kagee and Tony Naidoo at the Psychology Department at SU started developing a Masters in Public Mental Health.
When this became apparent, the two departments began a process of collaboration that eventually culminated in the establishment of the CPMH, through the adoption of a memorandum of understanding between UCT and SU in May 2009.