Mental health conditions now rank among the leading contributors to the global burden of disease, yet public health systems still often treat mental and physical well-being as separate tracks. This Training Course on Integrating Mental Health into Public Health Strategy, delivered by the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy, is built to close that gap.

Mental health shapes — and is shaped by — public health outcomes: it drives productivity, social cohesion, and overall community well-being. Participants leave with a working understanding of the policies, frameworks, and practical strategies needed to bring mental health fully into the public health conversation.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Explain how public health and mental health influence one another, and design public health strategies that address mental health needs.
• Assess mental health policies and their impact on public health outcomes.
• Identify the roles different stakeholders play in promoting mental well-being, and use tools for advocating integrated approaches to health.

Who Should Attend?

• Public health professionals looking to strengthen their understanding of mental health.
• Healthcare practitioners integrating mental health into broader health promotion strategies.
• Policy makers and decision-makers shaping mental health strategy.
• Educators and advocates working across mental health and public health.

Module 1: The Two-Way Link Between Public Health and Mental Health

• How mental health influences public health outcomes, and how public health shapes mental health in return
• Defining public health: core functions and responsibilities
• Defining mental health: emotional, psychological, and social dimensions, plus the stigma and misconceptions surrounding it

Module 2: The Scale of the Problem — the Global Mental Health Burden

• Prevalence and trends in mental health conditions worldwide
• The impact on quality of life and productivity
• The economic cost of mental health disorders and their broader social implications

Module 3: Measuring Mental Health Across Populations

• Methods, importance, and challenges of collecting mental health data
• Epidemiology of mental health across diverse communities, including risk and protective factors
• Tools for assessing prevalence, measuring outcomes, and evaluating population-level risk

Module 4: What Shapes Mental Health Outcomes

• Income, employment, education, and access to mental health resources
• The role of housing and neighborhood conditions
• Cultural stigma, social support, and discrimination as drivers of disparity
• The impact of trauma and major life events, and the role of coping mechanisms and resilience

Module 5: Turning Insight into Action — Public Health Approaches to Mental Health

• Prevention and early intervention strategies
• Integrating mental health into health promotion campaigns
• Addressing disparities in access to mental health care

Module 6: Policy, Law, and Ethics in Mental Health

• National and international mental health policy frameworks
• Building public health frameworks that include mental health, through multi-sectoral approaches
• Legal rights of individuals with mental health conditions and the ethical principles guiding their care

Module 7: Bringing It Together — Integrating Mental Health into Primary Care

• Why integration is crucial for effective care
• Models for integrating mental health services into primary health care
• The benefits and challenges of integration