The document outlines strategies for preventing mental illness including providing community education, early intervention services, improving accessibility to resources, cultural sensitivity, and enhancing protective factors. It recommends meeting basic needs, teaching life skills, and using problem-solving courts to connect those developing problems to treatment rather than incarceration.

1. Strategies for the
Prevention of Mental Illness
Instructor: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes, PhD, LPC-MHSP
Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox and Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
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2. Objectives
 Identify strategies for the prevention of mental
illness including
 Community education
 Early intervention services
 Community resource development
 Improving accessibility
 Improving cultural sensitivity
 Enhancing protective factors in the environment
 Drug and domestic violence courts to break the cycle
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3. What “causes” mental illness
 Stress
 Poor nutrition
 Poor health
 Medication side effects
 Low self-esteem
 A lack of personal control
 Isolation and a lack of supportive relationships
 What else?
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4. What is Needed to Be Happy
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5. Community Education
 Educate all individuals in the community about the
effectiveness and social and economic benefits of
prevention
 Reduced health care costs
 Disease
 Weight
 Smoking
 Alcohol
 Chronic pain
 Reduced absenteeism
 Improved productivity
 Improved energy and mood
 Improved relationships
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6. Principles of Child Education
 Children are curious and eager to learn. They have an inherent
desire to make sense of themselves, the world and others.
 Children are active participants in their environment and learn
through with all of their senses.
 Children learn and express themselves through play, which is
central to their well-being and development.
 Each child has an individual pattern and timing of growth and
development as well as individual styles of learning.
 Children need to experience challenge, success, positive
direction and positive redirection more than failure or criticism
to form a positive self-concept.
 Children learn best when active and interested. When they
engage in a meaningful and relevant way, they can experience
the joy of learning and feelings of success.
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7. Principles of Child Education
 Children learn best when they experience warm and
stable personal relationships with their caregivers.
 Children develop holistically and benefit from
integrated experiences and education.
 The brain learns best when having fun.
 When learning happens in a positive emotion environment, it
is stored in the hippocampus. This is later transferred to the
brain cortex, where long term memory happens- thus
affecting our ability to remember.
 Unpleasant events and fast learning, on the other hand are
stored in the amygdala, the part of the brain that stores
"what not to do".
 Children emulate positive models
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8. Principles of Adult Education
 Adults are autonomous and self-directed
 Adults are goal and relevancy oriented
 How does this help me meet my goals and objectives
 Adults already have a wealth of knowledge
 How does prior learning impact current learning
 How does current learning enhance/build off of prior learning
 Adults are motivated to learn by:
 Social relationships
 External expectations
 Social welfare
 Personal advancement
 Escape/stimulation
 Cognitive interest
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9. Principles of Adult Education
 Barriers to Adult Learning
 Responsibilities
 Lack of time
 Lack of money
 Lack of confidence or interest
 Lack of information about opportunities
 Scheduling problems
 Problems with childcare or transportation
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10. Community Resource Development
 Case Management
 Volunteers based at the health department, library, doctors offices or
churches
 State Economic/Workforce Development Boards
 Jobs
 Transportation
 Career One-Stop
 Job placement
 Job coaches
 Bonding
 Universal EAP
 Tutoring
 Drop-in childcare/Affordable before and afterschool care
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11. Community Resource Development
 Wellness fairs and health enhancement
opportunities
 Support groups
 Meet ups and gatherings
 Opportunities for indoor exercise/recreation
(heat, cold, rain)
 Financial management/counseling
 Clothing closets
 Domestic violence awareness/prevention
 Sexual violence awareness/prevention
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12. Improving Accessibility
 Prevention Services
 Library workshops, reading areas, handouts
 Doctor/dentist lobbies
 Health education curriculum
 Online videos, pdfs
 Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
 Television/Radio news, “Health Minutes”
 Community/Church/Employee wellness fairs
 Before and after school programs (Nutrition, Wellness)
 SMS message subscription
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13. Improving Accessibility
 Early Intervention Services
 At schools or workplaces
 Phone/video “call a counselor/doctor”
 EAPs
 Intervention groups in the evening or on Saturdays
 Video-based appointments
 Home visits
 Summer/Spring/Fall/Winter break camps
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14. Improving Cultural Sensitivity
 Children
 Teens
 Young Adults
 Older Adults
 LGBTQI2K
 Race/ethnicity
 Religion
 Socioeconomic status
 Occupation
 Disability
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15. Enhancing Protective Factors
 Teach/Improve
 Conflict management skills
 Stress Management Skills
 Social skills
Effective communication
Assertiveness
Sense of personal control/self-efficacy
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16. Enhancing Protective Factors
 Teach/Improve
 Parenting/Supervision/Self-Management skills
 Positive modeling
 Responsiveness
 Recognition of positive efforts and achievements
 Constructive discipline
 Clear and consistent behavioral standards
 School/Work
 Enhance teacher/employers/community and self awareness of and
response to potential mental health or behavioral risk factors
 Enhance opportunities for school/work success
 Improve economic opportunities
 Ensure effective work/school/life balance
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17. Enhancing Protective Factors
 Wrap Around Services
 Healthcare
 Vision care
 Dental care
 Medicine
 Nutrition
 Safe, affordable housing
 Affordable childcare
 Transportation
 No license
 Can’t afford car/gas/insurance
 Opportunities for community connection and involvement
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18. Problem Solving Courts
 Types
 Drug
 Mental Health
 Domestic Violence
 Benefits
 Increase treatment compliance
 Require community/systemic buy-in and support
 Provides an array of services to address the underlying
issues creating the problem
 Reduce the cycle of problems
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19. Summary
 Prevention is accomplished by providing accessible, culturally
appropriate, age-relevant education and screening services
 Top prevent mental illness people need safety, health, love and
belonging and self-esteem needs met.
 Community opportunities for economic self-sufficiency, safe
housing, community involvement and socialization are all
beneficial.
 Communities that care promote greater growth and retention
of residents.
 Prevention on average saves $8 for every dollar spent.
 Prevention activities benefit people physically, socially,
emotionally and occupationally
 Problem solving courts ensure that people who have begun to
develop problems are connected with recovery resources
instead of just incarcerated.
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