EDC’s Health and Human Development Programs (HHD) Focuses on Mental Health

Mental health—our ability to think, feel, engage in life’s joys, and cope with its difficulties—is integrally related to all that we are and do. The World Health Organization (WHO), for example, sees physical and mental health as interrelated, acknowledging that health is “a state of complete mental, physical, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease.” WHO extends this definition to define mental health as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively . . . and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”

This expanded definition of mental health has had a profound influence on how professionals approach mental health challenges. The field has begun to evolve from an exclusive emphasis on treating mental illness to promoting mental health and preventing disorders. The focus has shifted to making improvements in social/emotional learning and environmental factors, and to adopting interventions that recognize symptoms early and prevent problems from becoming more serious. Combating the stigma associated with mental illness and removing barriers to seeking care are essential efforts in this new understanding.

HHD’s approach addresses the continuum from mental health promotion to early intervention, care, and recovery. These stories of our research, program development, training, and technical assistance take us to the settings and institutions where people’s mental health is affected daily—schools, communities, workplaces, the military, and health agencies. In these settings, our research informs the design of programs and services, and “gatekeepers” offer programs that promote mental health for all, as well as provide services for early intervention and care.

Research

HHD conducts research to inform the design of effective programs and services, the interests and needs of particular audiences, and ways to overcome disparities in accessing services.

• With funding from NIH, HHD “Explores Adolescents’ and Parents’ Perceptions’ of Teen Mental Illness”

Schools, Colleges, and Communities

• For the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), HHD operates the National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention, providing training and technical assistance to coalitions of schools, mental health agencies, and law enforcement in all 50 states. Our purpose is to strengthen the capacity of these groups to implement the most effective K–12 programs, based on research.

• “Collaboration: Education, Mental Health, and Law Enforcement Improves Mental Health”

• For colleges and universities across the nation, SAMHSA’s Suicide Prevention Resource Center, with funding from the Smith Act, has developed a comprehensive framework to improve campus climate, reduce student isolation, and improve mental health services for students who need them.

• “Responding to an Urgent Need: Mental Health on College Campuses”

• In operating SAMHSA’s Suicide Prevention Resource Center, HHD works with many different constituency groups, including state and local health departments, professional and survivor groups, tribes and tribal agencies, schools, and colleges, to design suicide prevention programs that are both proven effective and appropriate for the audience.

• “Behind the Scenes in State-Level Suicide Prevention: Making a Difference”

For Men and Women in the Military and Veterans

With the Air Force, the Veterans Administration, and others, HHD is serving our nation’s young men and women who are preparing for or returning from combat and the families who care for them. We design training programs for clinicians who screen and treat active service members and armed services veterans for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and suicide.

• “HHD and Partners Address Mental Health Problems in the Military”

Global Health

HHD’s Global Programs collaborate with organizations internationally and in countries around the world to increase knowledge and raise awareness of mental health issues facing children and young people.

• “Promoting Mental Health Within Schools and Communities Worldwide”