Advocacy for Mental Health (Mental Health Policy and Service Guidance Package)

✍ Scribed by World Health Organization

• Year: 2003
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 67
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Mental health advocacy is a relatively new concept, developed with a view to reducing stigma and discrimination, and promoting the human rights of people with mental disorders. It consists of various actions aimed at changing the major structural and attitudinal barriers to achieving positive mental health outcomes in populations. This module draws attention to the importance of advocacy in mental health policy and service development. The roles of various mental health groups in advocacy are outlined. Practical steps are then recommended, indicating how ministries of health can support advocacyAlso available: WHO Mental Health Policy and Service Guidance Package--14 modules Other modules included in the package:Improving Access and Use of Psychotropic Medicines Child and Adolescent Mental Health Policies and Plans Mental Health Policy, Plans and Programmes. Updated version Mental Health Context Mental Health Financing Quality Improvement for Mental Health Organization of Services for Mental Health Planning and Budgeting to Deliver Services for Mental Health Mental Health Legislation and Human Rights Mental Health Policies and Programmes in the Workplace Mental Health Information Systems Human Resources and Training in Mental Health Monitoring and Evaluation of Mental Health Policies and Plans

✦ Table of Contents

Table of contents......Page 10
Preface......Page 13
Executive summary......Page 16
Aims and target audiences......Page 22
1.1 Concept of mental health advocacy......Page 23
1.2 Development of the mental health advocacy movement......Page 27
1.3 Importance of mental health advocacy......Page 28
2.1 Consumers and families......Page 31
2.2 Nongovernmental organizations......Page 32
2.3 General health workers and mental health workers......Page 33
2.4 Policy-makers and planners......Page 34
3. How ministries of health can support advocacy......Page 36
3.1 By supporting advocacy activities with consumer groups, family groups and nongovernmental organizations......Page 38
3.2 By supporting advocacy activities with general health workers and mental health workers......Page 44
3.3 By supporting advocacy activities with policy-makers and planners......Page 47
3.4 By supporting advocacy activities with the general population......Page 50
4.3 Uganda......Page 55
4.5 Mexico......Page 56
4.7 Mongolia......Page 57
5. Barriers and solutions to supporting advocacy from ministries of health......Page 58
5.3 Resistance and antagonism from general health workers and mental health workers......Page 59
5.5 Confusion about the theories and rationale of mental health advocacy......Page 60
5.6 Few or no consumer groups, family groups or nongovernmental organizations dedicated to mental health advocacy......Page 61
6.2 Countries with few advocacy groups......Page 62
6.3 Countries with several advocacy groups......Page 63
Further reading......Page 65
References......Page 66