Mental Health Promotion in the Health Care Setting

Abstract

Health Compass is an innovative, multiphased project that aims to transform health care practice and shift organizational culture by building the capacity of Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) health care providers to further promote the mental health and well-being of patients and families accessing PHSA's health care services. Health Compass was developed within a health promotion framework, which involved collaboration and engagement with stakeholders across all partnering PHSA agencies. This approach led to the development of an educational and training resource that contributes to increased capacity for mental health promotion within the health care setting. Based on interviews with Health Compass' internal Project Team and findings from a Stakeholder Engagement Evaluation Report, this article outlines the participatory approach taken to develop the Health Compass Mental Health Promotion Resource and E-Learning Tool. A number of key facilitators for collaboration and engagement are discussed, which may be particularly applicable to the implementation of a mental health promotion program or initiative within a complex health care setting.

Capacity building for mental health services: methodology and lessons learned from the Partners in Recovery initiative

“…The CBP framework took a strengths-based approach to PIR by focusing on what was working well and how gaps in knowledge and skills could be proactively addressed. Further, given formal structures and roles are important for fostering collaboration within health promotion initiatives (Horn et al 2014), a comprehensive governance structure to oversee the ongoing development and effectiveness of the CBP was established (Fig. 1).…”

“…In particular, the series of online training modules and the featured weekly articles were highly valued as training, learning and motivating resources by PIR staff. Indeed, previous work has shown this approach is the preferred learning method for health professionals, as it allows for effective and efficient delivery of education materials, given it is convenient and flexible (Horn et al 2014). The online platform architecture developed for PIR continues to be used as the basis for the delivery of the successor program (the Commonwealth Psychosocial Support Program).…”