Mental health and wellbeing has become an increasingly important issue that impacts communities in multiple ways. A critical discussion on the understanding and access of mental health services by people from diverse backgrounds is important to improving global healthcare practices in modern society. Mental Health Policy, Practice, and Service Accessibility in Contemporary Society provides innovative insights into contemporary and future issues within the field of mental healthcare. The content within this publication represents the work of medical funding, social inclusion, and social work education. It is a vital reference source for post-graduate students, medical researchers, psychology professionals, sociologists, and academicians seeking coverage on topics centered on improving future practices in mental health and wellbeing.

Bringing together treatment and referral advice from existing guidelines, this text aims to improve access to services and recognition of common mental health disorders in adults and provide advice on the principles that need to be adopted to develop appropriate referral and local care pathways.

There are wide inconsistencies between, and even within, countries in how community-orientated care is defined and interpreted. The analysis presented in this book take as a starting point an evidence-based balanced care model in which services are provided in community settings close to the populations served, with hospital stays being reduced as far as possible, usually located in acute wards in general hospitals. The surprising conclusion from the research is that the same problems arise in all countries, regardless of resource status, and thus the recommendations of this book apply to mental health provision everywhere. This book reviews the implementation of community-orientated care using the balanced care model. It summarizes the steps, obstacles and mistakes that have been encountered in the implementation of community mental health care worldwide and presents guidelines on how to avoid them. It proposes realistic and achievable recommendations for the development and implementation of community-orientated mental health care over the next ten years. These guidelines will be of practical use to psychiatrists and other mental health and public health practitioners at all levels worldwide, including policy makers, commissioners, funders, non-governmental organisations, service users and carers. A core message of the book is that the mental health sector will more powerfully advocate for better services in future through strong and unified alliances, especially with powerful representation from consumer/service user and carer groups. Community-orientated care draws on a wide range of practitioners, providers, care and support systems (both professional and non-professional), though particular components may play a larger or lesser role in different settings depending on the local context and the available resources, especially trained staff. Research by a WPA task force has demonstrated that most of the challenges are common and global, but with local variations. The book is therefore relevant to psychiatrists and mental health workers in developed countries who are trying to deliver better health care on reduced budgets and for those in the developing economies who are in the position to modernise their mental health care. It provides clear, concise guidance on policy and practice decisions, learning from what has and has not worked in regions in the world. The book contains many tables documenting the evidence, supported by an essential reference list, and a Key Points summary for each chapter. Highly Commended in the Psychiatry section of the 2012 BMA Book Awards.

Mental health services in England and Wales are at a critical point in terms of their development. This book examines key themes and tensions in relation to theory, policy, practice and research, emphasising the complex relationships between these four areas and exploring the impact of service user, carer and professional perspectives.

This far-reaching volume analyzes the social, cultural, political, and economic factors contributing to mental health issues and shaping treatment options in the Asian and Pacific world. Multiple lenses examine complex experiences and needs in this vast region, identifying not only cultural issues at the individual and collective levels, but also the impacts of colonial history, effects of war and disasters, and the current climate of globalization on mental illness and its care. These concerns are located in the larger context of physical health and its determinants, worldwide goals such as reducing global poverty, and the evolving mental health response to meet rising challenges affecting the diverse populations of the region. Chapters focus on countries in East, Southeast, and South Asia plus Oceania and Australia, describing: · National history of psychiatry and its acceptance. · Present-day mental health practice and services. · Mental/physical health impact of recent social change. · Disparities in accessibility, service delivery, and quality of care. · Collaborations with indigenous and community approaches to healing. · Current mental health resources, the state of policy, and areas for intervention. A welcome addition to the global health literature, Mental Health in Asia and the Pacific brings historical depth and present-day insight to practitioners providing services in this diverse area of the world as well as researchers and policymakers studying the region.

Mental Health Policy and Practice Today is the only textbook available in recent years that reflects the dynamic nature of mental health practice in todayÆs rapidly changing society. This book begins with an overview of societal and cost issues related to mental health problems, including the formats now used for mental health delivery and the public planning and agencies involved. It then focuses on the expanding base of knowledge in mental health. Important areas of neuroscientific and social research are covered, along with the significant contributions of pychoeducation and self-help and advocacy groups. Ten groups are specifically discussed including the homeless, whose numbers have risen to crisis proportions in recent years in part due to their mass expulsion from institutional care. It then guides the reader through implications for the 21st century, including the influences of technology and funding shifts to managed care. Finally it concludes with an exploration of issues that will need to be resolved based on the analysis of current policy, practice, and future projections. Readers will appreciate the multiple perspectives of this book and the blending of contributorsÆ expertise in both research and service "in the trenches." The broad spectrum of topics covered makes this book not only an effective text for traditional and specialized courses in the mental health professions, but also an informative and stimulating resource for the current practitioner. It is an essential, timely book that illustrates that policy and practice in the mental health fields must be reconciled.

This handbook is the definitive resource for understanding current mental health policy controversies, options, and implementation strategies. It offers a thorough review of major issues in mental health policy to inform the policy-making process, presenting the pros and cons of controversial, significant issues through close analyses of data. Some of the topics covered are the effectiveness of various biomedical and psychosocial interventions, the role of mental illness in violence, and the effectiveness of coercive strategies. The handbook presents cases for conditions in which specialized mental health services are needed and those in which it might be better to deliver mental health treatment in mainstream health and social services settings. It also examines the balance between federal, state, and local authority, and the financing models for delivery of efficient and effective mental health services. It is aimed for an audience of policy-makers, researchers, and informed citizens that can contribute to future policy deliberations.