Dan Neville
Question:287 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children the spending on mental health promotion for 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. [21457/03]
Written Answers. - Mental Health Services.
Mental health does not stand in isolation; it is equally important as physical health to the overall well being of a person. Poor mental health has a significant impact on a person's quality of life and their contribution to society. It is becoming increasingly clear that there is a need to address mental health as an integral part of improving overall health and well being.
Mental health promotion is a very broad concept as it emphasises the promotion of the psychological health and well being of individuals, families and communities. This concept fits with the rationale for health promotion, which acknowledges that lifestyles are a key determinant of health. Lifestyles are themselves influenced by the individual's social, economic, cultural, physical and ethical environment as well as by the information and skills which an individual possesses in relation to his or her own health.
While the health sector has a critical role to play in promoting positive mental health, other sectors such as schools, the youth sector, the workplace and the community also have an important contribution to make. Mental health promotion brings a particular focus on improving quality of life, creating supportive community structures, combating discrimination and stigma, and enhancing protective factors for mental health. In fact, almost all health promotion topics have a mental health promotion dimension. For this reason it is impossible to isolate a particular annual figure spent on mental health promotion. However, it can be assumed that a significant percentage of the health promotion budget of my Department impacts on mental health.