Setting up Community Mental Health (CMH) Programmes.

This chapter explains why mental health is important for well-being and community development and briefly gives the history of mental health services in low- and middle-income countries. It suggests the best ways of engaging with the needs of those with no access to services and how to improve the current situation. The chapter lists the essential elements of a community mental health programme, discusses medical, psychological, and social aspects of mental ill health, and how to raise community awareness and empowerment to use services. It describes how to establish a mental health programme, including analysing the situation, planning the stages, implementing the programme, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E).