Business Case for Mental Health Project

Valentino Vareck AgassiBusiness Case for Mental Health Project

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to develop a business case for a mental health community project. Mental health is a state of emotional and psychological well-being in which the individual is able to exploit his cognitive or emotional exercise within society and respond to daily needs of everyday life. Some of the skills requirements of the mental health condition are (Stuart, 2006):

Establish mature and satisfactory relations with others

Participate constructively in the changing environment

Resolve conflicts in a balanced way

Adapt to external conditions and internal conflicts

Having a good self-image

Be aware of personal emotions, affections and relations

Mental health goes beyond diseases and mental disabilities. Moreover, there is no definition of "mental illness" that is universally accepted. Mental illness is understood by a broad spectrum of pathological problems that affect the mind, usually causing great discomfort. The most common form of mental illness is depression. Depression, as a mental health disorder, is defined as persistent feelings of sadness that interfere with daily functioning. Depression is a continuum of mood disorders that include major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder and psychotic depression (AIHW, 2012). A related disorder, biopolar disorder, includes extreme mood swings that cycle from depressive to maniac states. Symptoms can consist of persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, and/or being “empty” as well as feelings of hopelessness, guilt, and being worthless. Depression can occur with either loss of appetite or increased eating patterns. It may also be associated with persistent aches and pains as well as headaches or digestive problems that are not alleviated by treatment. Depression may also be associated with suicidal thoughts or attempts at suicide. Depression has a negative impact on sleep (AIHW, 2012). During the day, the patient does not have the energy, desire and motivation to work. Depression worsens memory and concentration. Mental Illness should be detected and treated as early as possible (Schultz, 2011).

In this paper, we will develop a mental health community project in which we will address the issues related to the mental health of workers and employees. For this purpose, we will articulate an intervention plan through which we will strive to cure and mitigate mental illness of healthcare workers (Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia, 2010). As a part of this assignment, we will also prepare the budget of mental health community project. This will show the build-up of the budget from a zero base including all significant items. For the purposes of this exercise, we would consider both an 'optimal' budget for their service and a budget to show how the service may function if the budget were reduced by 10%.

Discussion

Mental Health

Mental Health can be defined as a state of social and psychological wellbeing of an individual in a given socio-cultural environment, indicative of positive (e.g. joy, satisfaction and comfort) or negative moods (e.g. anxiety, dissatisfaction etc) (Scheffer, 2003). Mental health can also be associated with features of the person such as coping styles and aspiration are characteristics of a mentally healthy ...