A chance to prioritise prevention in our approach to tackling mental health problems in England
In July 2022, we responded to a government consultation on their vision for a new, ten-year mental health and well-being plan.
Our response draws on our prevention-focused policy work over recent years and was informed by input from our programmes beneficiaries, members of Our Personal Experience Network (OPEN) and the Mental Health Foundation Young Leaders.
Our response calls for the government to:
- Take a preventative approach to tackling mental health problems
- Take a genuinely cross-governmental approach to tackling the root causes of mental health problems
- Put mental health at the heart of all policies across government
- Set out measurable, achievable and ambitious goals for all government departments to contribute towards preventing mental health problems
- Target inequality groups who are at greatest risk of developing mental ill health
- Build co-production and co-design principles into the strategy
- Ensure that mental health support takes account of individuals’ history and personal experience
OPEN - Our Personal Experience Network
OPEN is a diverse online community of people we ask to inform what we do, through anything from quick feedback on a social media post, to fully participating in a research project.
The MHF Young Leaders
The MHF Young Leaders are a diverse group of young people from across the UK with a wealth of personal and lived experiences. Young Leaders inform the Foundation’s work with families, children and young people.
Prevention and mental health
Prevention is an important approach to improving mental health. It means stopping mental health problems from developing, getting worse or coming back.