Why Mental Health is a Public Health Issue

By Elaine Miller-Karas for Psychology Today

Identifying mental health as a public health issue is imperative to building healthier and more productive communities. The pandemic, mass shootings, violent conflicts like the Ukraine War and the Uyghur genocide, political unrest, climate change events, and other traumas of the human condition have left an indelible imprint on the world community. Unprecedented challenges with mental health affect every aspect of life including the ability to conduct the activities of daily living.

Unrecognized and untreated mental health conditions can lead to social isolation and problems with interacting with one’s family and community. It can sometimes lead to encounters with the criminal justice system and behaviors that can compromise mind and body health.

Yet there are not enough professional mental health practitioners to address our worldwide mental health needs. Models of intervention are being developed to mitigate the impact of mental health challenges being experienced in unprecedented ways. One example is the Community Resiliency Model (CRM)® we have developed at the Trauma Resource Institute.

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