Areas we work in / Ngā Wāhi Mahi

	For Psychiatric Emergencies please call 0800 920 092. Community and Public Health provides population health services and information. We are unable to work with individuals regarding their health issues.

Mental wellbeing is both a foundation for health as well as being an objective in itself. There is a strong relationship between mental and physical wellbeing. "There is no health without mental health."

Community and Public Health aims to promote social and physical environments that advance positive health and wellbeing throughout the Canterbury, South Canterbury and West Coast regions. Our goal is to enhance resiliency and a sense of control among our population, and foster a climate of community participation and social inclusion.

We seek to:

• Include mental health and wellbeing in all Community and Public Health programmes and projects.
• Increase community awareness on gaining/maintaining mental wellbeing.
• Work with health and other sectors (e.g. Education, Territorial Local Authorities, Justice) to recognise determinants of mental health and wellbeing and to develop mental health promoting practices.
• Engage with the Canterbury, South Canterbury and West Coast communities in promoting mental health and wellbeing.
• Work with South Canterbury and West Coast youth around mental wellbeing, especially resiliency and social inclusion.
• Provide information to the public on both maintaining mental health, and coping with mental illness.
• Provide information to the public on programmes including the Like Minds Like Mine antidiscrimination campaign, and depression awareness projects (e.g. Depression: There is a way through it).
• Collect reliable evidence relating to mental health and wellbeing.

We work together to increase our communities' mental resilience and reduce their risks of mental illness.

Useful Resources on Mental Health and Wellbeing Topics

Factsheets can be downloaded from the following websites on a variety of issues such as grief and bereavement, sleeping well, self-care, reducing drugs and alcohol:

Mental Health Foundation
The Black Dog Institute (Australia)
Beyond Blue (Australia)
Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK)

Read "Healthy Work: Managing Stress in the Workplace" from the NZ Department of Labour [PDF]

Read the Five Ways to Wellbeing from the New Economics Foundation [PDF]

Documents

	Mental Health and the Recession (Te Pou o Te Whakaaro Nui)
	Te Tāhuhu: Improving Mental Health 2005-2015 (Second NZ Mental Health and Addiction Plan
	Te Kōkiri: The Mental Health and Addiction Action Plan 2006-2015 (Ministry of Health)
	Te Puāwaiwhero - The Second Maori Mental Health and Addiction National Strategic Framework 2008-2015 (Ministry of Health)
	New Zealand Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2008-2012 (Ministry of Health)
	Like Minds, Like Mine National Plan 2007-2013 (Ministry of Health)
	Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey (Ministry of Health)
	Simple Tips on Promoting, Protecting and Improving the Lives of People in Christchurch Who Experience Mental Illness (Healthy Christchurch)
	Mental Capital and Wellbeing: Making the most of ourselves in the 21st century (UK)
	Mental Well-being Impact Assessment: A Toolkit (UK)

Downloads

Order copies from the Community Health Information Centre

	What Helps me when I'm Stressed
	Coping with Financial Stress
	Stress and how to handle it (MHF)

Links

Mental Health (Ministry of Health)
Mental Health Foundation
Mental Health Education and Resource Centre (Christchurch)
Like Minds Like Mine
Depression: There is a way through it
Suicide Prevention Information New Zealand (SPINZ)
Mental Health Commission
MindNet
Out of the Blue
BalanceNZ
Working Well
VicHealth (Australia)
Resilience Research Centre (Canada)
Mental Health (WHO)