Social Determinants of Mental Health Convening-Advocacy, Collaboration, and Community Engagement

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In a panel discussion led by Eric Rofla-Yuan, a community psychiatrist in San Diego, experts explored the intersection of advocacy, collaboration, and community engagement in the realm of mental health. Dr. Alan Tasman shared insights on public health initiatives and their historical large-scale nature, advocating for more localized, small-scale interventions. He emphasized the need for collaboration with various sectors to address mental health needs and offered examples such as telepsychiatry and localized public health efforts.<br /><br />Enrico Castillo highlighted the importance of connecting social and political determinants of mental health, urging collaborations with non-clinical organizations for comprehensive care. The speakers emphasized the utility of a political determinants of health model, highlighting how policy decisions shape social determinants. They suggested that engaging with local-level policies offers practical advocacy pathways, as exemplified by APA's recent policy statements and educational opportunities for professionals in legal and justice systems.<br /><br />The panel also addressed the importance of providing APA members and district branches with resources and toolkits for grassroots advocacy efforts. They concluded with reflections on enhancing public education on mental health issues and leveraging APA’s national scope to support local advocacy initiatives, thereby reinforcing the role of psychiatrists in community health transformation.

Keywords

mental health

advocacy

collaboration

community engagement

public health

telepsychiatry

social determinants

policy decisions

grassroots advocacy