Promoting mental health and community wellbeing
Why promote mental health?
There has been increasing recognition internationally of the growing impact of mental health problems and disorders. It is predicted that by the year 2020 depression alone will be the second-highest cause of disease burden worldwide (WHO 2001).
Addressing this burden has been identified as a pressing priority of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and its Member States, among them the government of Australia.
Mental health problems are unfortunately very common and their human, social and economic consequences are great. Newer methods of treatment and rehabilitation are being developed, but there is increasing realisation of the serious limitations of focusing solely on treatment and rehabilitation of those affected by mental disorders. The fundamental challenge is to identify and invest in better ways of promoting mental health and wellbeing and preventing problems before they occur.
The potential in such an approach is significant. We know that factors in the environments in which we live, work, learn, play and build relationships with one another are among the most powerful influences on mental health. Since it is possible to modify many of these, addressing the growing mental health burden is clearly within our grasp.
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Definition of mental health
Definitions of mental health and social wellbeing are more complex than those concerned with physical health. Many people feel more comfortable with the term ‘psychological and emotional wellbeing’ as ‘mental health’ is a term they equate with mental illness.
The following simple definition is adopted in VicHealth’s Plan for Action to ensure wide community understanding of the importance of mental health and its relevance to all people.
Mental health is the embodiment of social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Mental health provides individuals with the vitality necessary for active living, to achieve goals and to interact with one another in ways that are respectful and just – VicHealth 1999
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VicHealth's approach to mental health promotion
VicHealth’s mission is to build the capabilities of organisations, communities and individuals in ways that:
- Change social, economic and physical environments so they improve health for all Victorians; and
- Strengthen the understanding and the skills of individuals in ways that support their efforts to achieve and maintain health.
In the past, the key focus of health promotion was on supporting changes in behaviour of individuals and their knowledge of appropriate support services to enable them to protect and promote their health.
In recent years there has been increasing evidence that social and economic factors influence health (Wilkinson & Marmot 2003). For this reason, greater emphasis is being placed on achieving social and structural changes that will improve health and enable individuals to care for their own health.
VicHealth has adopted WHO’s approach to health promotion, which is fundamentally concerned with action and advocacy to address the full range of potentially modifiable determinants of health.
These determinants are not only those which are related to the actions of individuals, such as health behaviours and lifestyles, but also factors such as income, social status, education, employment, working conditions, access to appropriate health services and the physical environment.
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VicHealth's objectives in mental health promotion
VicHealth's work in mental health promotion is guided by the following objectives:
- Improve the evidence base for promoting mental health and wellbeing.
- Develop the skills, resources, policies and practices that will sustain mental health promotion in selected sectors.
- Consolidate state, national and international collaborations to improve mental health promotion policy and practice.
- Broaden community understanding of the social and economic influences on mental health and wellbeing.
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Advocacy
VicHealth will continue to advocate for policy and program reform relevant to the promotion of mental health and wellbeing through:
- development of policy submissions
- representation on government advisory committees
- use of the media to raise awareness and inform public debate
- support for the development of collaborative networks and partnerships to progress activities in relevant areas.
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VicHealth's Mental Health Promotion Framework
VicHealth was one of the first bodies globally to develop and implement a specific framework for the promotion of mental health and wellbeing. The framework, developed in 1999, has been refined.
It focuses on three factors demonstrated to have a particular influence on mental health:
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Sectors and settings for action
VicHealth gives priority to work undertaken in the community, education, local government, arts and sports sectors, as well as maintaining its involvement in state and national forums.
Funding partnerships will continue to be maintained and forged with the Victorian and Australian governments and the philanthropic and corporate sectors. In particular, the following partnerships will be maintained or developed.
Victorian Government
- Arts Victoria
- Crime Prevention Victoria
- The Department of Human Services, in particular the Public Health and Mental Health Branches and the Neighbourhood Renewal Program
- The Department for Victorian Communities, in particular Aboriginal Affairs Victoria, the Office of Youth Affairs, Sports and Recreation Victoria, the Strategic Planning and Research Division and the Women’s Policy Unit
Australian Government
- The Australia Council for the Arts
- Australian Research Council
- beyondblue: the national depression initiative
- The Department of Family and Community Services
- The National Health and Medical Research Council
Philanthropic and corporate organisations
- Adult Multicultural Education Services
- The Allanah and Madeline Foundation
- Foundation for Young Australians
- Myer Foundation
- Reichstein Foundation
- Rio Tinto
- Schools Innovation Commission
- William Buckland Foundation
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Priority population groups
VicHealth gives priority to groups experiencing disadvantage as a result of their geographic location, income, education or Indigenous, cultural and linguistic heritage.
We also focus on young people, given the relatively high prevalence of mental health problems and disorders in this age group and good prospects for prevention at this stage of life.