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8. Promotion, Prevention and Communications
The promotion of good mental health (mental well-being) will have direct and indirect benefits on the prevention of mental illness and on helping to address some of the challenges in addressing substance misuse, its care, treatment and rehabilitation. With this in mind an emphasis on substance misuse in mental health promotion activities and wider health promotion and prevention work should be supported. Similarly the promotion of safe use, including abstinence, from alcohol and other drugs will have a beneficial effect on mental health.
These promotion and prevention strategies will involve a range of actions from those delivered to individuals in care and treatment settings such as health advice to heavy drinkers or advice on the impact of cannabis to people with schizophrenia to broad population approaches such as media campaigns, tackling inequalities and alcohol licensing. Wherever possible these health promotion and prevention messages should be delivered in an integrated and co-ordinated way across a range of health campaigns and be based on good evidence of what works in social and public marketing in supporting changes in people's behaviour and attitudes.
Recommendations
Promotion and Prevention policy, strategy and delivery for addressing substance misuse and mental health problems and illness should be part of and integral to broader promotion and prevention action.
These promotion/prevention strategies and actions should also highlight and target those populations most at risk and the interventions that are most effective in minimising risk and promoting protective factors.
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