Mental Health and Wellbeing
The CHEX View
'Mental Health' is a term used by different people in different ways. Too often, it is used in connection with mental illness. At CHEX, we use the term ‘Mental Health’ to mean the state of our mental 'wellness'. Mental Health is therefore a variable commodity in the same way as physical health and can alter from time to time. Without underestimating the impact that mental illness can have on the lives of individuals, CHEX is interested in how community health organisations promote mental well-being and support individuals to maintain good mental health, as well as challenging the stigma sometimes associated with those of us who are suffering mental ill health.
Community Health Organisations using true Community Development approaches to their work promote enhanced mental well-being for those they work with, since the whole philosophy of Community Development is about enabling people to take action on issues of importance to them.
Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland
In May 2009, the Scottish Government published 'Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland', their policy and action plan for improving Mental Health. CHEX would highly recommend that Community Health Initiatives familiarise themselves with the document which you can download by clicking here. There is much in the document that resonates with the experience and expertise of CHIs together with opportunities for joined up working with statutory sector partners. For more details, click here.
Mental Health Indicator sets
Health Scotland was commissioned by the Scottish Government to devise a set of mental health indicators originally for the adult population and then for children and young people. The adult indicator set was completed in December 2007.
Subsequently work has begun to establish children and young people's mental health indicators. Information on the progress of this work is available on Health Scotland's website by clicking here.
As a result of the work on adult indicators it has been possible to do an analysis of Scotland’s mental health in a new way. The first report to use these indicators is now available on the ScotPHO (Scottish Public Health Observatory) website by clicking here.
Links with Health Scotland: Measuring Impact
In 2007 and 2008, at the behest of Health Scotland, CHEX ran a series of events designed to support community health initiatives in demonstrating the impact they have in enhancing mental well-being. We were fortunate to have Mental Health Specialist Dr Lynne Friedli as our keynote speaker and facilitator for the day. A full report of the original ‘Know it Works, Show it Works’ event is available here while a report of the three ‘Show it Works’ learning set sessions including a listing of supportive resources is available here.
Access the mental health improvement section of Health Scotland's website here.
Links with the National Programme for Mental Well Being
In previous years, CHEX has worked with the 'National Programme for Mental Well Being' through our work to support the Community 'Exemplar Projects'. This work was undertaken in collaboration with 'Scottish Development Centre for Mental Health' and is described in more detail in a previous edition of our CHEX-Point newsletter entitled 'Healthy Communities in Mind' and our Briefing Sheet 'Healthy Communities in Mind - Update'. The latter was specially produced for the 'Small Change Big Impact' event which showcased the work of the Exemplar Projects. The full report of the 'Small Change Big Impact' event is available here.
The website for the National Programme can be accessed at www.wellscotland.info
Economic Case for Mental Health Promotion
A useful report called Mental Health Promotion: Building an Economic Case by Lynne Friedli and Michael Parsonage was launched in Northern Ireland in November 2007. The report was commissioned by Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health (NIAMH) and "... uses economic analysis to develop the case for greater investment in mental health promotion ..." You can download a full copy of the report by clicking here.
If you are interested in further information about our work in this area, you can contact Practice Development Manager Elspeth Gracey at elspeth@scdc.org.uk.
