Jerry Tew

This highly regarded book offers a clear and considered guide to modern mental health policy and practice. Building on the success of previous editions, this third edition provides: • An up-to-date overview of the changes to mental health policy and practice as they apply to a broad range of mental health services, from primary care and forensic mental health issues• A focus on mental health specific issues in the context of broader health and social care reforms, including the reform of primary care, the impact of austerity and the personalisation agenda• A greater exploration of what interagency working means: it goes beyond issues with health and social services and explores the everyday services that are essential to everyone• A range of case studies, reflection and analyses, followed by engaging exercises and suggestions for further reading. This book is designed for students of social work, social policy, nursing and health taking courses on mental health policy and practice. It also serves as an important update for practitioners in the field.

Over-reliance on biological models in mental health practice has resulted in growing discontent from practitioners and service users, who know that social factors also have a major impact on people's mental health. Social approaches enable practitioners to promote recovery in ways that move beyond the limitations of biomedical treatments. Championing a range of innovative approaches, this timely book offers a holistic model for understanding and responding to mental distress. It places mental health within its broader social context, encouraging engagement with not just the person experiencing mental distress, but also their family and wider social world. Drawing on relevant theory and research evidence, the author:- Considers the inter-relationships between social circumstances, life events and mental distress- Explores the roots of mental distress and its perpetuating factors- Provides a toolkit for assessment and action planning within the social context- Advocates recovery-oriented practice, based on emancipatory values, social participation and positive risk-taking A welcome new addition to the BASW Practical Social Work series, Social Approaches to Mental Distress is a core text for students and practitioners of social work and other mental health disciplines. It is also insightful reading for anyone whose own life has been affected by mental health difficulties.