Building mental health promotion capacity in health care: results from Phase I of a workforce development project

The development of mental-health-promoting health care systems is dependent on having a skilled and informed workforce to effectively integrate mental health promotion (MHP) into programme and service delivery. This paper describes Phase I (September 2009-July 2010) of Health Compass, an innovative, multi-phased project that aims to transform health care practice and shift organizational culture by enhancing the capacity of health care providers to further promote patient, client and family mental well-being. Phase I of Health Compass examined the current state of MHP within British Columbia's Provincial Health Service Authority health care services. The findings, based on group discussions and key informant interviews, examined health care providers' current understanding and knowledge of MHP; identified existing strategies, facilitators and barriers that help or hinder the incorporation of MHP into health care practice and services; and identified preferred learning modalities for development and piloting of future MHP resources in Phases II and III.