MDHB News

Public Health: Mental Health Promotion

“Mental Health Promotion is the process of enhancing the capacity of individuals and communities to take control of their lives and improve their mental health.” MidCentral Public Health Service works with other groups and agencies in the community to promote mental wellness.

"Garden of Tranquility"

It uses strategies that foster supportive environments and individual resilience, while showing respect for culture, equity, social justice and personal dignity. It supports the Like Minds strategies of increasing understanding and reducing discrimination against people with mental illness.

“Accept – Belong - Connect” “Ko te whanaungatanga a te maioha”

Maori Mental Health Promotion is part of the strategy and uses the Te Whare Tapa Wha (four cornerstones of health) model of Maori Health. It reveals how health is connected through four key concepts, represented by four pillars holding up a house.

taha wairua (spiritual, including the practice of tikanga Maori)
taha tinana (physical aspects)
taha hinengaro (mind and emotions)
taha whanau (family and community)

If any one of the pillars are impaired, the house could fall – ill health can occur. Strengthening the weakened pillars and restoring harmony and balance between them would restore health. (Mason Durie 1984)

The mental health promotion projects delivered by Public Health Services aim to

Build community cohesiveness
Build individual and community resilience
Increase the community’s knowledge and awareness of depression and to reduce its incidence
Reduce the incidence of attempted suicide and deaths from completed suicide
Work with whanau, hapu/iwi & Maori communities in the MidCentral District Health Board region to support them to identify and act on their own public health priorities.

Some examples of projects are:

Building Community Cohesiveness

Community Vintage Party is a collaborative project between Age Concern, Neighbourhood Support, NZ Police, Palmerston North City Council and Public Health Services. The Project aims to improve the mental and physical wellbeing for those living alone by providing opportunities for connectedness and promoting healthy ageing.

Secure Cultural Identity, Ra Ngati Ra Project

It has been found that cultural alienation is a valid explanation for indigenous experiences of being at higher ‘risk’ for drug and alcohol abuse, mental health problems including depression and suicide, and other adverse behaviours. Culture can provide a sense of belonging and purpose, a sense of meaning and self-worth and a moral framework to guide conduct.

Ra Ngati Ra is about bringing external providers of health messages to identified communities. These messages encompass a whole person approach which includes wider whanau members

For more information on Mental Health Promotion visit:

Like Minds - Welcome to Like Minds
Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand
Mental Health Commission
Schizophrenia Fellowship NZ Inc
SPINZ Suicide Prevention Information New Zealand
SANE Australia Information on mental illness and carers support. Education, research.
URGE Urge/Whakamanawa youth website
IPRC Injury Prevention Research Centre
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner, New Zealand

Disclaimer:

MidCentral District Health Board is not responsible for the contents or reliability of the linked websites and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them. Listing shall not be taken as endorsement of any kind. We cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time and we have no control over availability of the linked pages.