The World Health Organization defines mental health as ‘a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community’ (World Health Organization, 2014).
Good mental health exists on a continuum which can fluctuate across a period of time or over stages within a lifetime. In contrast to good mental health, mental health problems develop in response to a large range of risk factors and can range from mild mental health problems to more severe illnesses (diagnosable disorders) where the impact on the individual is more severe and long lasting, and functioning is severely impacted upon. Some mental illnesses may also increase the risk of suicide as people who die by suicide are often experiencing undiagnosed or untreated mental health problems.
In addition some particular population groups face greater mental health challenges and the prevalence of mental illness and suicide rates are considerably higher in these groups.
Role of Local Government
Local Governments (called councils) are responsible for addressing health and wellbeing of their populations across the municipalities. Councils are to document their mission, goals and priorities for achieving health and wellbeing in a Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan (MPHWP) every four years as directed by the Public health and Wellbeing Act 2008. The Act also requires MPHWPS to consider the directions and priorities of the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2015-2019 (VPHWP). One of the priorities of the VPHWP is mental health https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/about/health-strategies/public-health-wellbeing-plan
The next MPHWP planning period is 2018-2021.
Local government does not typically provide or fund mental health services. Rather they focus on primary prevention and advocating for appropriate secondary and tertiary prevention services to be accessible to community members within the municipality
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