What does it mean and how do we promote it?

"Mental health promotion includes any activity which fosters good mental health through increasing mental health promoting factors such as meaningful employment, access to physical activity, recreational activity whether you are 9 or 90, public safety, social inclusion and addressing stigma. It also relates to decreasing those factors which damage or reduce good mental health such as abuse, discrimination and violence thus enhancing a feeling of well-being"

Issues relating to mental ill health are routinely portrayed in the media as relating only to those of us who use mental health services. They are not routinely considered to involve or impact on "normal" people.

Mental Health Promotion does, of course, relate to mental health service users especially in terms of the discrimination and stigma that many experience.
However, it is also, very importantly, about the population as a whole; within our individual, family, school, workplace and community situations where we are all subject to positive and negative influences on our mental health and well-being.

Mental Health Promotion is concerned with how we think and feel; the factors that influence these processes and the impact these factors have on our overall health and well being.

It seeks to bring about change at both individual and community levels by

• working to ensure that mental health service users have access to the full range of opportunities enjoyed by the community as a whole wider community

• highlighting mental health issues and implications contained in wider local policy initiatives. e.g. initiatives to reduce stress in the workplace, or reduce fear of crime

• asking local policy makers to consider the impact that their decisions and service developments will have on people's mental health.

Thus promoting good mental health should not be seen as a primarily specialist task. Many people will already be involved in it without necessarily acknowledging it as a component of their work. Mental Health Promotion seeks to identify these components and draw them together into a strategy that involves the whole community, improving the lives of people who those do use mental health services as well as reducing the numbers who will need to in the future.

Mental Health Promotion in Herefordshire

In order to meet the requirements of the National Service Framework for Mental Health, Herefordshire is required to produce a Mental Health Promotion Strategy by March 31st 2001. The NSF Standard 1 relates to

• Promoting mental health for all, working with individuals and communities

• Combating discrimination against individuals and groups with mental health problems and promoting their social inclusion

Work Areas
In Herefordshire we have chosen the following areas to concentrate on within our strategy:

• The Workplace:
  

• Primary Care:
  

• Media and Information Services:

• Neighbourhoods and Communities:

• Secondary Mental Health Services:

• Schools

• Young People and Related Agencies.

• Older People with Mental Health Problems.

Within the seven work areas we are also required to address mental health promotion in relation to the following four broad targets.

1) Early intervention with individuals at risk
e.g. post natal depression screening for new mothers

2) Promotion of mental health protective factors with vulnerable groups
e.g. Young people in education- anti bullying strategies

3) Promotion of mental health protective factors with whole populations
e.g. South Wye Healthy Living Community

4) Promotion of mental health at a policy/decision making level
e.g. Promoting safe use of alcohol; tackling drugs together.

Additional activities already identified as having a mental health promotion component include:

• Social Inclusion Co-coordinator at a Hereford High School

• Sure Start( developing support for pre school children);

• 4US - Primary care services in a school setting in Leominster;

• PALS (Patient Advocacy and Liaison Services);

• Anti bullying projects in schools;

• The Rural Media Company work;

• Mental Health Services Website

• The Herefordshire Healthy Schools Partnership
  

• The Rural Stress Information Network