1. Mental Health Promotion Carole Devaney Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Mental Health Promotion Network

2. Definition of Mental Health ‘Mental health is the emotional and spiritual resilience which enables us to enjoy life and to survive pain, disappointment and sadness. It is a positive sense of well- being and an underlying belief in our own and others dignity and worth’ Health Education Authority, Mental Health Promotion a quality framework, 1997, HEA, London

3. Mental health We all have mental health needs It is more than an absence of mental illness It influences: how we think about ourselves and others, our ability to learn and communicate; to form and sustain relationships; to interpret and cope with change and life events How we think and feel impacts on our physical health Poor mental health adds to the burden of disease and health inequalities

4. What is mental health promotion Mental Health Promotion : A Quality Framework (ref: National Service Framework – Standard 1 –Mental Health Promotion : A Quality Framework (HEA 1997) Shifting the focus from illness to well-being and earlier intervention with groups at higher risk of mental ill health

5. What does it focus on? Any action to enhance the mental well- being of individuals, families, organisations and communities The factors which influence how we think and feel, individually and collectively The impact this has on overall health and well-being

6. Mental Health Promotion cont. Relevant to: The whole population Vulnerable groups and individuals at risk People with mental health problems Activity: Strengthening individuals Strengthening communities Reducing structural barriers to mental health

7. What influences our mental health? Exercise Draw for 10 minutes on the flip chart sheets

8. Where are our mental health needs met? Early years School Home and Relationships Community Neighbourhood and Environment Workplace and Employment Later Life Where we feel safe; included; valued; respected Challenging the stigma of mental ill health

9. No Health without Mental Health Starting well Developing well Living well Working well Ageing Well

10. See: Foresight Mental Capital and Wellbeing Project (2008). Systems maps. The Government Office for Science, London. Page 3. http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/corpora te/migratedD/ec_group/118-08-FO_b

11. Mental health promotion at different levels At each level, it is relevant to the whole population, to individuals at risk, vulnerable groups and people with mental health problems. Strengthening individuals –increasing emotional resilience through interventions designed to promote self-esteem, life and coping skills, e.g. communicating, negotiating, relationship and parenting skills. Strengthening communities - this involves increasing social inclusion and participation, improving neighbourhood environments, developing health and social services, which support mental health, anti-bullying strategies at school, workplace health, community safety, childcare and self-help networks. Reducing structural barriers to mental health - through initiatives to reduce discrimination and inequalities and to promote access to education, meaningful employment, housing, services and support for those who are vulnerable.

12. Clients and Service Users Lifestyle Advice/Intervention - smoking, alcohol and drugs, drinking, obesity, nutrition, sleeping, stress reduction Signposting and Referral/ Social prescribing – exercise opportunities – e.g. walking and gardening social networks, support groups, befriending projects, libraries, education and learning opportunities, benefits advice, volunteering opportunities, self esteem interventions Assessment of emotional health status of individuals with physical health problems particularly chronic illness Routine assessment of the physical health needs of individuals with mental ill health problems Recognition and appropriate responses to adult and child abuse Referral to parenting support and with attachment issues Building community capacity – involvement in local partnerships and networks and patient groups Challenging Stigma, Reducing access barriers and early recognition and referral in children and adults Service environment

13. Employers Exemplar Employers Workplace/ building design Well-being workplace policy Management policies and practices including equality and diversity, bullying and harassment, appraisal, flexible working practices, reward and recognition, training and development Lifestyle interventions Managing stress Retention and Recruitment of individuals with mental health problems Green space, trees, shrubs Access to water, healthy food options Supervision and support mechanisms Challenging stigma Climate adaptation initiatives

14. Commissioners Guidance for commissioning mental health promotion Public Health Outcomes Integral to service provision – opportunistic and routine As part of the tendering/contracting process for example Service providers have to demonstrate good employment practices Service providers have to demonstrate climate adaptation polices etc

15. Benefits of mental health promotion Preventing mental ill health particularly depression, anxiety, self harm including drug and alcohol dependence and suicide Improving the health and well-being of individuals with mental health problems Wider universal benefits – improved physical health; increased emotional resilience; increased social inclusion and participation and improved productivity

16. This work was produced as part of the TIGER project and funded by JISC and the HEA in 2011. For further information see: http://www.northampton.ac.uk/tiger. http://www.northampton.ac.uk/tiger This work by TIGER Project is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at tiger.library.dmu.ac.uk.tiger.library.dmu.ac.uk The TIGER project has sought to ensure content of the materials comply with a CC BY NC SA licence. Some material links to third party sites and may use a different licence, please check before using. The TIGER project nor any of its partners endorse these sites and cannot be held responsible for their content. Any logos or trademarks in the resource are exclusive property of their owners and their appearance is not an endorsement by the TIGER project.