Background
In addition to the personal, familial and communal toll that mental health problems and illnesses impose, they also entail a significant economic cost for health systems worldwide. Early treatment of mental health issues is crucial in preventing the development of chronic mental health conditions. It has been found that many mental health prevention and promotion programs are economically beneficial and can have a substantial impact on mental health. Therefore, these programs are now seen as a leading strategy in addressing the increase in reports of mental health problems.
Since 2021, JDC-Israel has been developing and promoting the field of resilience and mental health. Important elements of this effort are mental health prevention and promotion. The development of this field began during the COVID-19 pandemic and gained further momentum with the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War. To continue the initial learning process on this subject, and with an emphasis on mental health prevention and promotion, JDC-Israel commissioned the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute to carry out a review of national programs that address mental health prevention and promotion of in selected countries.
Goal
To carry out a review of national programs of mental health prevention and promotion in selected countries and for various populations. The review will serve as a basis for policy planning and services in the field of detection, prevention and promotion.
Methodology
An international review of academic articles and other publicly available documents on the Internet, such as research reports and information on national mental health programs (gray literature) and their efforts in mental health detection, prevention and promotion. The review focused on three countries: Australia, Ireland, and Canada. They were chosen because each has a national mental health program for which there is plentiful and accessible information, particularly with respect to mental health prevention and promotion. The survey of the programs included the following elements: background for the initiation of the program; rationale and objectives; partners and funding entities; target populations; guidelines for detection; mechanisms, practices and main detection environments; main treatment practices; and program evaluation. The information was collected during January to March 2024.
Findings and Conclusions
Alongside the increase in demand for and use of mental health services over the past thirty years, there is growing recognition of the importance of mental health, particularly with respect to mental health detection, prevention and promotion. This has led to the adoption of national programs (also called national strategies or policy programs) in recent years, which are aimed at comprehensively addressing the challenges in the field of mental health. In all three national programs examined as part of the review, emphasis is on mental health detection, prevention and promotion. This reflects a broad acknowledgment that early detection and investment in prevention, alongside investment in programs promoting mental health and early intervention, are crucial components of any mental health system and national program. Additionally, there is recognition of the economic benefits of investing in mental health detection, prevention and promotion and the potential savings for the health system.
In the surveyed countries, efforts to detect and prevent mental illness and to promote mental health are focused on several population groups, life stages or environments. First, there is recognition of the need to invest resources in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, given that according to the literature most mental illnesses develop during these stages and because these are periods characterized by transition and change which can lead to mental problems and the development of chronic mental illness. It is noteworthy that all the programs recognize the important role of family members and other closely related caregivers of people with mental illness. This is why representatives of family members of people with mental illness were involved in the consultation processes during the design of the national programs in all three countries.
Another group requiring an investment of resources is young parents or those about to become parents due to the stress this new status brings with it. Old age is also a stage in life characterized by an increase in mental health difficulties and the development of mental illness. Therefore, some programs emphasize mental health detection, prevention and promotion interventions among the elderly.
In addition to universal prevention programs, the programs developed in the three countries also emphasize targeted prevention interventions for groups at increased risk of developing mental health difficulties or illnesses, including people living in poverty, immigrants and members of the LGBT community.
As noted above, there was an increase in reports of mental health difficulties in Israel even before the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as following it, and especially during the Israel-Hamas War. Investing in mental health detection, prevention and promotion can be economically beneficial and can reduce the demand for mental health services in Israel, a country with limited resources.
Citing suggestion: Rimon-Greenspan, H., & Yabo, M. (2024). Mental Health Prevention and Promotion: An International Review of National Mental Health Programs. RR-998-24. Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute. (Hebrew)