Community mental health: Putting policy into practice globally

Abstract

It was with some trepidation that I embarked upon reading this book on the topic of community mental health; its subtitle is "putting policy into practice globally" which is no small feat, especially in just 234 pages. The book stems from the work of a World Psychiatric Association task force that was set up to produce guidance on the steps to be followed, obstacles to be removed and mistakes to be avoided in the implementation of community mental health care worldwide. Information was gathered from systematic reviews as well as by means of communication with experts across a range of countries.The reader is taken through an overview of mental health policies worldwide, reviews of the implementation of community mental health services, lessons learned and recommendations for the future. The book provides readers with the overall picture seen in different regions of the world, but manages to avoid over-generalising or caricaturing regions, by providing case studies, as well as by noting exceptions to rules. Tables are introduced usefully and sparingly to provide more country-specific information. The surprising overall finding from the research is that most of the significant challenges and lessons learned apply across a wide range of countries and regions.A single resource combining and evaluating such a wealth of research and information is likely to serve as a very useful tool in furthering the effective implementation of community mental health policy worldwide. Although this book is most likely to be of immediate benefit to those directly involved in developing and implementing policy, it also provides a thoughtprovoking read for clinicians. It reminds us of the overarching aims of our profession and highlights the social, financial and political factors that can obstruct the realisation of those aims. For clinicians working in diverse multi-cultural areas, the book provides useful insight into the experiences of mental health services, such as compulsory detention, that individuals from other countries may have had before passing through our doors.The back of the book promised me that I would "find in it a treasure of information and practical ideas not found in standard textbooks". I cannot disagree with that. It is systematic and comprehensive, yet it is also concise and accessible.