Positive Mental Health: An Important Dimension of Overall Well-being

1. Positive Mental Health:An Important Dimension of OverallWell-being Wellness Buddy - Province of New Brunswick BC Healthy Living Alliance Webinar – May 26, 2014 Stephen Smith Director of Mental Health Promotion and Prevention of Mental Disorders BC Ministry of Health

2. Mental and Physical Health • Strong association between mental illness and chronic physical diseases • As many as 75% of patients with depression present physical complaints as the reason they seek health care (Unutzer et al., 2006) • Relationships between depression and anxiety and chronic diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes • Also links between mental illness and higher incidence of adverse health activities such as smoking, problematic use of other substances, overeating, and physical inactivity • Recent research suggests absence of positive mental health increases probability of all-cause mortality after adjustment for known causes of death (Keyes & Simones, 2012)

3. Mental Health and Well‐being “Mental health is not merely the absence of mental illness; it is an essential resource for daily living, and the foundation for effective functioning from cradle to grave, enabling people to experience life as meaningful and to be creative, productive members of society.” (World Health Organization, 2006) 3

4. Considering Mental Health Flourishing/Thriving No Mental Illness Mental Illness Languishing/Surviving Adapted from: Keyes, C.L.M. (2010). The Next Steps in the Promotion and Protection of Positive Mental Health. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research. 42(3). 4

5. Promoting Mental Health and Well-being • Enables individuals, families and communities to experience greater control over various aspects of their lives and improve their mental health • Considers interplay of risk and protective factors • Seeks to increase self‐esteem, resilience, coping skills and capacities, inclusion and family and community supports • Strives to modify broader social and economic environments that influence mental health • Benefits the entire population and populations at risk of mental ill‐health 5

6. BC Policy Context • Cross-governmental, multi-sector & system • Goes beyond an exclusive response to mental illness and addictions • Includes a significant focus on: • promoting mental health • preventing problems before they occur • intervening earlier when they do • Focus on developmental stages and transitions • Strong emphasis on key settings: • homes, schools, workplaces

7. BC Healthy Connections Project • Available to low-income, young, pregnant women who will be first time mothers • Evaluating introduction of the Nurse Family Partnership home visiting program to BC • Adds intensity to universal perinatal services offered through public health to address inequities • Aims to improve health, social and economic outcomes for both mother and child

8. School Connectedness Capacity Building Project • Project of DASH BC and the BC School-Centered Mental Health Coalition • Supports BC school communities to document/apply proven practices for enhancing school connectedness for all students • Strong evidence when students feel more connected to their school, they are more likely to experience positive mental health and well-being, engage in healthy behaviours and succeed academically(Smith et al., 2011) • Embraces a comprehensive school health-based approach delivered universally to benefit all students

9. Workplace Psychological Health & Safety Action Plan • BC Workers Compensation Act amended in 2012 • Expands the eligibility for compensation for mental disorders caused by workplace influences such as bullying and harassment • Action plan being developed by MoH, WorkSafe BC, Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Labour, NGO’s and research partners • Goal is to increase reach of supportive resources with added intensity for specific sectors

10. Thank you! Questions? stephen.smith@gov.bc.ca