The purpose of this report is to develop a shared understanding of mental health promotion (MHP) in Windsor-Essex County (WEC). This report provides community organizations, inter-disciplinary stakeholders, and service professionals with a conceptual and strategic framework for promoting and supporting positive mental health in WEC.
What is Mental Health?
The World Health Organization [WHO] (2001) has proposed a 'positive' definition for mental health that extends beyond the risk factors for mental illness. According to WHO (2001), mental health can be defined 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 fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community".
Mental Health Promotion (MHP)
Mental health promotion is the "process of enhancing the capacity of individuals and communities to increase control over their lives and improve their mental health...It is an approach that fosters individual and community resilience and promotes socially supportive environments" (Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care [MOHLTC], 2018, p. 7; Government of Canada, 2006).
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