Mental Health Promotion

by

Vikki Vandiver, Nikki Hozack

Introduction

Increasingly, promoting mental health is seen as an integral part of public health. The promotion of mental health is anchored within the larger field of health promotion, yet it has a notable place alongside the prevention of mental disorders and the treatment and rehabilitation of people with mental illnesses and disabilities. Mental health is promoted through processes that enable people to function well and/or that remove barriers that impede them from having control over their own health and mental well-being. Mental health promotion can apply to the individual or to the whole population in the context of everyday life. Mental health promotion is about building on the existing strengths, assets, skills, resources, networks, social and community supports, and relationships that enhance our sense of competence and belonging. Mental health promotion is about providing the opportunity for people to experience personal mastery through activities that lead to increased self-esteem, quality of life, and social connectedness. As an activity, mental health promotion is often sociopolitical: reducing unemployment, improving housing and schooling, advocating for social justice by working to reduce stigma and discrimination. To be successful, mental health promotion efforts must identify mental health needs, set priorities, and influence and implement solutions, often at the community level. This article identifies a variety of resources that pertain to the definition of mental health promotion and the research, policies, programs, economics, and special populations that benefit from mental health promotion.

Introductory Works

Only in the llate 20th and early 21st centuries have introductory works on the topic of mental health promotion become more accessible to practitioners and professionals. For the public health professional newly acquainted with the topic of mental health promotion, the four introductory texts described in this section will be very helpful. Four main areas are reviewed: diverse populations in real-world settings in Barry and Jenkins 2006, life span in Cattan and Tillford 2006, theoretical framework in Tudor 1996, and policies and evidence-based practices for integrating health promotion into mainstream mental health services in Vandiver 2008.

• Barry, M., and R. Jenkins. 2006. Implementing mental health promotion. Philadelphia: Elsevier.

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  This text provides an overview of implementing mental health promotion programs in a wide range of settings with diverse populations through exploring the current research and giving practical advice on how to implement such programs (e.g., chapter 2, “Implementing Mental Health Promotion Programs: A Generic Template for Action”). Topics include mental health promotion in the home for children and families, the workplace, primary health care, and mental health services.

• Cattan, M., and S. Tillford. 2006. Mental health promotion: A lifespan approach. New York: McGraw-Hill.

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  This unique book provides both an introduction and a practical guide to mental health promotion concerns distinctive to each stage of the life span. Using international, national, and local examples of up-to-date evidence, the book illustrates how to integrate age and culturally specific mental health promotion theory and principles and activate them effectively.

• Tudor, K. 1996. Mental health promotion: Paradigms and practice. New York: Routledge.

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  This text provides a comprehensive overview of mental health promotion, including history and current definitions of mental health promotion, as well as coherent and comprehensive framework that can be applied to policy, practice, assessment, consultation, education, and training. Separating mental health from mental illness and psychopathology, this book seeks to differentiate mental health promotion from mental illness prevention.

• Vandiver, V. 2008. Integrating health promotion and mental health: An introduction to policies, principles, and practices. New York: Oxford Univ. Press.

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  This book provides a thorough introduction to the policies and principles of health promotion and the necessity of integrating those ideas into mental health services and practice. This theory-driven text provides an intuitive and strategic framework for effectively integrating culturally competent health-promotion concepts and principles into our mental health care system.