Social Work And Global Mental Health

Based on the practice expertise and research of social workers from developing and developed countries worldwide, this book examines the relationship between social work and health inequalities in the context of globalisation.

Social Work in Health and Mental Health: Issues, Developments, and Actions was created for final year undergraduate and master's level students in the health and mental health fields. It is primarily a book on social work practice, discussing how one might approach a specific health or mental health related problem or issue as a social worker. Health and mental health are conceptualized broadly in this volume. The health and well-being of body and mind are seen as integrally connected, shaped by biological, physics, psychological, material, social, and structural features and determinants. Clients are viewed as active, engaged agents, with strengths and resources from which to draw in meeting everyday challenges and major life crises. Contributions form around the world allow the social work student to learn about current practice in places as diverse as Australia, Finland, China, South Africa, Wales, Canada, and the United States. Each chapter is accompanied by both reflection questions and a case study derived from practice and written to stimulate discussion that develops assessment and treatment planning skills.

This international survey defines mental health as a basic human right, and tracks the emergence of mental health prevention and promotion as a global priority. Locating mental illness within a cycle of negative causes and effects affecting human quality of life, the editors identify modern policy barriers to promotion/prevention initiatives, particularly the favoring of the biomedical health model by major stakeholders. The book’s selection of successful programs from diverse countries displays a lifespan approach, emphasizing the centrality of interdisciplinary educational settings in providing primary and secondary prevention and promotion interventions, and the ongoing fight against missing financial investigations, discrimination and stigma. Together, these papers make a forceful argument for rights- based responses to worldwide mental health needs as part of the commitment toward global human rights and long-term development goals. Included in the coverage: · Mental health priorities around the world. · Social determinants of mental health. · Mental health and stigma: aspects of anti-stigma interventions. · Promoting social and emotional wellbeing and responding to mental health problems in schools. · The promotion and delivery of mental health services in primary care settings. · Economic evaluation of mental health promotion and mental illness prevention. Bringing to the fore public health concerns that are too often marginalized, Global Mental Health is necessary reading for health professionals, health and clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, medical sociologists, and policymakers.

This book represents the sharing of knowledge and experiences that is cross-cultural, cross-disciplinary and across countries. It aims bringing to the social work practitioner a wealth of understanding about situations, practices and cultures that could not possibly have been experienced first-hand about mental health. The book provides cross cultural perspectives on recovery; strengths based practice, mindfulness, disaster & mental health, community mental health and other related aspects. These contributions from across the world, from different cultures, and from vastly different experiences are a celebration of the global practice of social work. The series of chapters in this book makes a contribution to a deeper understanding of various facets of social work in mental health. The complexities elucidated here can be addressed by embracing the power of teamwork, the power of visionary leadership and the power of reflexivity. The book offers an opportunity for practitioners to explore all these in detail.

This book presents respected experts, researchers, and clinicians providing the latest developments in social work knowledge and research. It discusses the latest in mental health research, information on violence, trauma and resilience, and social policies. Different mental health and social work approaches from around the world are examined in detail, including holistic, ethnopsychiatric, and interventions that place emphasis on recovery, empowerment, and social inclusion. This superb selection of presentations—taken from the 4th International Conference on Social Work in Health and Mental Health held in Quebec, Canada in 2004—comprehensively examines the theme of how social work can contribute to the development of a world that values compassion and solidarity. The volume offers a unique opportunity for practitioners, researchers, and others in the field to explore respected experts’ experiences and research which can spark further development of knowledge that can ultimately enrich humanity as a whole. This timely resource springs from the emerging tradition of the sharing of knowledge, an idea now deeply rooted in the international community of social workers in the areas of health and mental health. This volume is extensively referenced and includes figures and tables to clearly detail information. This book is enlightening reading for practitioners, administrators, educators, researchers, and students of social work. This book was published as a special issue of Social Work in Mental Health.

Contents: (I) Introduction; (II) Background: Mental Illness in the United States; History of Mental Health Care Delivery in the United States; Advances in Mental Health Treatment; (III) Current Mental Health Care Delivery System: Providers and Settings; Financing Mental Health Care; Quality of Care; (IV) Issues and Options for Congress: Evidence-Based Practices; Access to Care; Financing Mental Health Care; Coordination of Care; Quality of Care; (V) Conclusion. Figures.

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.