Cultivate Mental Wellness is a movement to make communities mental health friendly.

Cultivate Mental Wellness supports individual communities to grow in resilience with a better understanding of mental health. Communities build a foundation that supports a culture where individuals seek answer, get diagnosed and receive the support and services they need. When a community gets involved, they commit to becoming a leader in changing the narrative around mental illness.

Goals
1. Reduce mental health stigma
2. Reduce poor health outcomes related to mental health
3. Increase community partnerships and collaboration
4. Recognize mental health-friendly communities

Community Involvement
Communities commit to completing activities throughout four phases.
A plan is developed within each phase that enables a continuous improvement process.
Each phase will be supported by the local Mental Health Coalition and Health Department staff.
Develop a Community Cultivate Mental Wellness Community.
When developing the committee, consider non-traditional partners such as faith based organizations and economic development.
Conduct an evaluation at baseline and throughout implementation.
Evaluations will include focus groups and an online community survey.
Engage community partners in achieving proposed action areas. 
Utilize the resources in the movement to achieve the action items. 
Be an advocate for the movement. 
Your community will become a leader in our county and State as we move forward in cultivating a change in Mental Health.
Participate in the “Four-Phase” Process:
Phase One: Kindness - Promotes education and raising awareness of mental health and well-being
Phase Two: Empathy - Building relationships to understand the perspectives, needs, and intentions of others
Phase Three: Support - Connecting and promoting community resources
Phase Four: Resilience - Sustainability and advocacy

Priority Areas
Assess community readiness.
Increase awareness of mental wellness through education.
Reduce stigma around mental health.
Develop the ability to identify and respond to mental health crises.
Advocate and support mental health prevention and access to services and resources.

Resources

image

Mental Health Friendly Communities

“Having a non-judgmental approach to everyone we encounter, regardless of their diagnosis, is a key component to being part of the solution. Health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being. One’s mental well-being is hard to nurture if a community doesn’t create an environmental that is conducive to this. Providing a community setting that promotes wellness is important to creating change.”