Mental Health – A Path Forward

Mental wellbeing has a tremendous impact on the lives of individuals, families, and communities.  Now is an opportune time for our nation to implement a comprehensive approach to mental health and wellbeing that incorporates community prevention as a complement to clinical care and long term recovery supports. Communities can forge a path forward by focusing on specific community conditions like housing, social networks, and trust, while intentionally embedding healing values like safety and trust.  This approach produces multiple benefits, including: promotion of resilience and healing; reduction of stigma and trauma; strengthening of healthy social norms; and reduction of the severity of mental health problems, suffering, and associated costs.