As an important field of social work practice, mental health social work has accumulated rich experience in practice exploration and theoretical research, and gradually formed local experience and Chinese characteristics. The existing research on mental health social work in China mainly focuses on theoretical perspectives, methods and techniques, development models, practice areas, policy experience and local practices. Compared with the needs of people for a better life and the development trend of high-quality disciplines, the existing research still faces limitations in improving research quality, expanding research paradigms, enriching research frameworks, and developing Chinese characteristics. Future research on mental health social work should continue to deepen research contents, expand research fields, accumulate academic experience and expand academic influence, actively draw on foreign experience, explore local resources and characteristics, and build an academic system and discourse system of mental health social work with Chinese characteristics.