Volume_4_Issue_1_Digest

TPC D igest 1 Population-Based Mental Health Facilitation (MHF): A Grassroots Strategy That Works – DIGEST J. Scott Hinkle Dr. J. Scott Hinkle is the Director of Professional Development at NBCC-I. For further information on the MHF program, please contact Adriana Petrini at petrini@nbcc.org. The author appreciates editorial contributions from Laura Jones, Katherine Clark, Ryan Vale, Traci Collins, Allison Jones, and Keith Jones. A version of this article was originally presented at the World Mental Health Congress, August 28, 2013, Buenos Aires, Argentina (Spanish: “Facilitación de Salud Mental (MHF): Una Estrategia Comunal”). Correspondence can be addressed to J. Scott Hinkle, NBCC, 3 Terrace Way, Greensboro, NC 27403, hinkle@nbcc.org. M ental health concerns affect indi- viduals, families, and communities around the world, constituting a global burden that has been underestimated for years. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 450 million people around the world have unmet mental health needs. Mental health resources and treatment fall short of meeting these needs because of slow advance- ments in treatments and implementation that is insufficient, fragmented and ineffective. Depression, substance abuse, schizophre- nia, and other mental health concerns are associated with problems such as poverty, marginalization, reduction in economic pro- ductivity, relationship troubles, divorce, and physical health conditions. Early detection and treatment of mental distress and disorders decreases the chance of worse physical health later in life and costly hospitalizations. Most international mental health systems include psychiatric hospitals but lack more effective community mental health services. Global mental health care must shift to community- based care in order to meet the growing needs. However, there is a lack of providers who have the necessary competencies to address basic community psychosocial needs. WHO and other national and international organi- zations have identified the barriers to effec- tive community-based care. To address these barriers, the National Board for Certified Counselors-International (NBCC-I) developed the Mental Health Facilitator (MHF) training program, which has been making a promising global impact.