Convergence Mental Health

Convergence science is the process whereby innovation comes from the cross pollination of diverse disciplines, industries and cultures, carrying ideas and approaches across boundaries. This book is a blueprint for how this could and should occur in mental health in order to solve the complex, multi-system problems that the field faces.

"The world is in the throes of a global health, economic and mental health crisis with severe physical, societal, and economic ramifications. Modern mental health problems are characterized by their complexity, multi-systemic nature and broad societal impact, making them poorly suited to siloed approaches of thinking and innovation. In order to solve the unprecedented complexities and challenges associated with the current global crisis, a paradigm shift is needed. Convergence science integrates knowledge, tools, and thought strategies from various fields and is the focal point where novel insights arise. In the context of mental health, convergence involves integration of scientists, clinicians, bioinformaticists, global health experts, engineers, technology entrepreneurs, medical educators, caregivers, and patients; synergy between government, academia and industry is also vital. A convergence mental health approach will lead to improved outcomes for patients and health care systems. Predicate examples of convergence science in adjacent fields to mental health provide a model for the path forward. Further, within the field of mental health, there are examples of convergence science currently in action that include early stage companies, neuroscience initiatives, public health projects and unconventional funding mechanisms. The world has a historic opportunity to leverage convergence science to lead to a new era of innovation and progress in global mental health"--

The primary objective of this book is to provide comprehensive descriptions and make comparative evaluations of each of the mental health systems of four Western, industrialized countries. The countries selected illustrate a continuum from a highly centralized and publicly financed, national health service in Great Britain to a predominantly decentralized and more privately financed market of mental health services in the United States. In between these two contrasting types are examples of national health services and insurance programs in Norway and Canada. Contributing experts from each country begin their chapters with an overview of the geographic, demographic, political, economic, and cultural contexts in which their mental health systems are situated. Thereafter, they (a) present national data to estimate the need for mental health services, (b) describe national mental health policies and programs designed to meet their population's need, (c) indicate how mental health services are organized and delivered, and (d) discuss how their system is financed and provided resources. A common chapter outline facilitates comparisons among all four systems on relevant evaluation criteria: (a) access and equity, (b) quality and efficacy, (c) cost and efficiency, (d) financing and fairness, (e) protection and participation, and (f) population relevance. In the final section of each chapter, the authors provide recommendations for improved performance of their mental health system. In the initial chapter, the editor provides an overview, introduces the four countries selected, and defines the evaluation criteria applied by all contributing authors. The final two chapters address convergence and divergence among the four systems and provide recommendations for improvement and for future comparative studies. The intended audience includes mental health policymakers, program administrators and managers; teachers of graduate level courses relat

Written by many of the world's leading practitioners in the delivery of mental health care, this book clearly presents the results of scientific research about care and treatment for people with mental illness in community settings. The book presents clear accounts of what is known, extensively referenced, with critical appraisals of the strength of the evidence and the robustness of the conclusions that can be drawn. Improving Mental Health Care adds to our knowledge of the challenge and the solutions and stands to make a significant contribution to global mental health.

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.

This is the definitive textbook on global mental health, an emerging priority discipline within global health, which places priority on improving mental health and achieving equity in mental health for all people worldwide.