A Movement for Global Mental Health is launched
This week sees the launch of an international scientific and social movement
on global mental health. This initiative signals the work of a remarkable team
of multidisciplinary health professionals, many of whom led The Lancet's
Series on global mental health a year ago. A summary of progress in global mental health since this series is reported in today's issue.
To coincide with World Mental Health Day on Oct 10, World Health Organization (WHO) launched its own new mental-health strategy, the Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP), which draws heavily on the work published last year.
Mental health has long been marginal to global health initiatives. To take one explicit example: mental health is not recognised in the Millennium Development Goals. But as The Lancet's Series pointed out, there can be no health without mental health. Around 14% of the global burden of disease is attributable to neuropsychiatric conditions-including depression, alcohol-use and substance-use disorders, and psychoses. Indeed, the burden of mental ill-health is likely to have been underestimated because the connection with other health conditions is often ignored. Worse still, the availability, accessibility, and quality of health services is poor and inequitable.
The authors of The Lancet's Series-led by Vikram Patel, Martin Prince, and Shekhar Saxena-argued that mental-health awareness should be fully integrated into all aspects of health and social policy making.
The Movement for Global Mental Health includes users, providers, scientists, institutions, civil society, and policy makers. The Movement is truly global and inclusive. Its website already shows the broad diversity of partners who have signed up to the Movement's call to action.
The next phase of the Movement is to scale up and widen the range of science being undertaken, develop advocacy efforts, attract more funding, and influence policy makers. A report card on progress will be given at a global mental-health summit to take place in Athens at the World Forum on Mental Health on Sept 2, 2009.
The Lancet will devote an issue to global mental-health monitoring and evaluation, including research and policy making, for the September summit next year. Mental health has at last come of age on the global health-and global political-agenda. Now is the moment to take full advantage of this unprecedented opportunity.
In a Viewpoint, Vikram Patel and colleagues outline progress since The 2007 mental health series, and look ahead to the world's first global summit taking place in Athens in September 2009. Sign up to read the article here.
=====================================
News release from the Child Welfare League of Canada, a membership-based national organization dedicated to promoting the well-being and protection of vulnerable young people. CWLC plays a significant role in promoting best practices among those in the field of child welfare, child and youth mental health, child rights and youth justice.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Happy Mental Health Week: Information, Resources & Media
Canadian Association of Social Work (CASW)
Canadian Association of Social Workers As a federation of nine provincial and one territorial social work organizations, the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) provides a national leadership role in strengthening and advancing the social work profession in Canada.
383 Parkdale Avenue, Suite 402
Ottawa (Ontario) K1Y 4R4
Tel.: (613) 729-6668
Fax. : (613) 729-9608
E-mail : casw@casw-acts.ca
For Immediate Release
October 8, 2008
Mental Illness: Much More to Do
In acknowledgement of both Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 5-11, 2008) and World Mental Health Day (October 10, 2008), the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) applauds the efforts of advocacy organizations, supports the work of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and calls upon the federal government for adequate financial investment in the mental health of people living in Canada.
Mental illness affects more than six million – or one in five – people in Canada. Despite its prevalence, there continue to be huge gaps in the funding necessary to treat and support people living with mental illness.
Mental illness is not given the priority that it has to have in the health system. “Given the prevalence of mental illness and its known impact on individuals, families, and communities, this discrepancy in funding is of grave concern to CASW and social workers across Canada,” states CASW President Veronica Marsman.
Social workers, based on their knowledge and experience, understand that effectively supporting people with mental illness and promoting good mental health go beyond treatment and medication. Social determinants of health, such as adequate income, adequate and supportive housing, and opportunity for meaningful, paid employment must also be met. According to social workers in the field, these needs are even more pressing as there is a continued movement of people with mental illness from institutions to communities, and some have little support beyond emergency shelters and food programs.
Of further concern is the continued stigma and discrimination, which persist even among health-care providers, faced by people suffering from mental illness.
CASW is encouraged by the expectation that the agenda of the Mental Health Commission of Canada will include, as part of Canada’s first national mental health strategy, strategies to change public attitudes, support people living with mental illness, and recognize the value of multidisciplinary teams. However, an effective strategy is contingent on adequate funding by all levels of government. CASW encourages those in power and those currently campaigning for leadership in this country to continue to commit to this investment in the mental health of Canadians.
************************************
Anxiety Disorders of British Columbia - Information & resources for adults, parents, children & youth.
B.C. Association for Marriage & Family Therapy (BCAMFT)
BC Association of Social Workers (BCASW)
BC Association of Clinical Counsellors
B.C. Psychological Association
BCPA - Professional Development & Training Events
Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH)
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)
CMHA - BC division
CounsellingBC.com
Mood Disorders Association of British Columbia
National Network for Mental Health (NNMH)
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) program @ UBC.
************************************
Mental Health Meter
Work/Life Balance Quiz
Children's Mental Health
STRESS SELF-TEST RESOURCES & EXPERTS
Canadian Association of Social Workers As a federation of nine provincial and one territorial social work organizations, the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) provides a national leadership role in strengthening and advancing the social work profession in Canada.
383 Parkdale Avenue, Suite 402
Ottawa (Ontario) K1Y 4R4
Tel.: (613) 729-6668
Fax. : (613) 729-9608
E-mail : casw@casw-acts.ca
For Immediate Release
October 8, 2008
Mental Illness: Much More to Do
In acknowledgement of both Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 5-11, 2008) and World Mental Health Day (October 10, 2008), the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) applauds the efforts of advocacy organizations, supports the work of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and calls upon the federal government for adequate financial investment in the mental health of people living in Canada.
Mental illness affects more than six million – or one in five – people in Canada. Despite its prevalence, there continue to be huge gaps in the funding necessary to treat and support people living with mental illness.
Mental illness is not given the priority that it has to have in the health system. “Given the prevalence of mental illness and its known impact on individuals, families, and communities, this discrepancy in funding is of grave concern to CASW and social workers across Canada,” states CASW President Veronica Marsman.
Social workers, based on their knowledge and experience, understand that effectively supporting people with mental illness and promoting good mental health go beyond treatment and medication. Social determinants of health, such as adequate income, adequate and supportive housing, and opportunity for meaningful, paid employment must also be met. According to social workers in the field, these needs are even more pressing as there is a continued movement of people with mental illness from institutions to communities, and some have little support beyond emergency shelters and food programs.
Of further concern is the continued stigma and discrimination, which persist even among health-care providers, faced by people suffering from mental illness.
CASW is encouraged by the expectation that the agenda of the Mental Health Commission of Canada will include, as part of Canada’s first national mental health strategy, strategies to change public attitudes, support people living with mental illness, and recognize the value of multidisciplinary teams. However, an effective strategy is contingent on adequate funding by all levels of government. CASW encourages those in power and those currently campaigning for leadership in this country to continue to commit to this investment in the mental health of Canadians.
************************************
Anxiety Disorders of British Columbia - Information & resources for adults, parents, children & youth.
B.C. Association for Marriage & Family Therapy (BCAMFT)
BC Association of Social Workers (BCASW)
BC Association of Clinical Counsellors
B.C. Psychological Association
BCPA - Professional Development & Training Events
Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH)
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)
CMHA - BC division
CounsellingBC.com
Mood Disorders Association of British Columbia
National Network for Mental Health (NNMH)
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) program @ UBC.
************************************
Mental Health Meter
Work/Life Balance Quiz
Children's Mental Health
STRESS SELF-TEST RESOURCES & EXPERTS
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)