Country: SOCHUM PP #07

T: Responding to Mental Health Crisis

Country: United Kingdom, Scotland

Poor mental health is an important public health challenge and significant mental health
inequalities exist in our country-- in the region of Scotland. Improving the mental health of the
population is a national priority because improving mental health and wellbeing is recognised as
having a positive effect on many different aspects of society. As our publication Good Mental
Health for All alludes to good mental health is essential in achieving and improving outcomes
for individuals, families and communities and, as such, underpins successful delivery of a wide
range of national priorities and strategy commitments. Our Mental Health Inequalities Briefing
set outs key messages and actions to address the issue of mental health inequalities.
Poverty, poor housing, family conflict, unemployment, childhood adversity, and chronic health
problems are all contribute to a greater risk of mental health problems, particularly if several
occur together and there are no protective factors to offset their negative impact.
Our Government’s Mental Health Strategy takes a health promoting and preventative approach
and sets out a range of commitments around, more accessible child and adolescent mental health,
improved responses to common mental health problems, and integrated community, inpatient
and crisis mental health services.
The ambition is to create the best social circumstances possible and improve the conditions in
which people are born, grow, live, work and age. This cannot be achieved solely by the NHS.
Community Planning Partnerships, Integrated Joint Boards, third sector organisations, people
with lived experience and their families and carers will also play a key role. Such partnerships
can assist by working together to take action to reduce mental health inequalities, both as part of
prevention and as part of service provision. Our Government has developed a framework with
priorities to transform mental health in our country, specifically Scotland, over the next 10 years.

Program(s)/Organizations:

Good Mental Health for All

'Good Mental Health for All' is an initiative developed by us and endorsed by the Scottish
Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities which sets out a vision to improve
mental health and wellbeing. It links to the Scottish Government’s Mental Health Strategy and
encourages action at national, local and community levels.

The document brings together a vision of a mentally flourishing Scotland and sets it in the
context of the best evidence of what works and what we need to do to address health inequalities.
This is essential if good mental health for all is to be achieved.
DBI Programme

The Distress Brief Intervention (DBI) programme provides a framework for a compassionate and
effective response to people in distress, making it more likely that they will engage with and stay
connected to services or supports that may benefit them over time.

Scottish Association for Mental Health

Around since 1923, SAMH currently operates over 60 services in communities across Scotland
providing mental health social care support, homelessness, addictions and employment services,
among others.

Works cited:
https://www.mentalhealth-uk.org/
https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Health/Services/Mental-Health
https://www.samh.org.uk/
http://www.healthscotland.scot/health-topics/mental-health-and-wellbeing