Apr 12
2022
Community Mental Health: What It Is and Why It Is Important
As we become more aware of the factors that impact our mental well-being, we also notice an increase in specialists’ efforts to provide people with proper care and solutions. Community mental health services are part of these efforts and focus on providing specialized services outside of a hospital setting.
This way, people who don’t have the means (or knowledge) to ask for help from a mental health specialist will be able to access such services. Plus, community mental health services can provide educational support and consultations to local care providers and partners.
Furthermore, specialists who work with secure platforms like EHR for mental health have the chance to provide better insight into the mental well-being of the community they serve. They do so by collecting data from the field and using it to compile various reports and graphs that can offer a more accurate general view of the area.
Is Community Mental Health Necessary?
When it comes to mental health, we live in an era of discovery. The scientific community is still learning and discovering new aspects of what mental health is for the individual and the community.
However, the need for such a service is overwhelming. According to the World Health Organization, the pandemic triggered a 25% increase in the prevalence of depression and anxiety at a global level.
So, as the world tries to recover from the negative effects of the pandemic, we need all the support we can get. Plus, community mental health services can be a positive factor in the development of collective mental health awareness and understanding. Specialists can identify early signs of mental illness, provide guidance so individuals will know how to navigate their problems, and spread awareness in the community so everyone involved will know how to cope.
This way, we help prevent people who suffer from untreated mental illnesses from being institutionalized, as it used to happen in the U.S. prior to the Community Mental Health Act of 1963. As such, people are able to get treatment where they live (when possible), which is an important factor in a successful recovery.