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Trauma Womens Mental Health And Social Justice
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Book Synopsis Trauma, Women’s Mental Health, and Social Justice by : Emma Tseris
Download or read book Trauma, Women’s Mental Health, and Social Justice written by Emma Tseris and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-04-01 with total page 219 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book argues that while notions of trauma in mental health hold promise for the advancement of women’s rights, the mainstreaming of trauma treatments and therapies has had mixed implications, sometimes replacing genuine social change efforts with new forms of female oppression by psychiatry. It contends that trauma interventions often represent a "business as usual" approach within psychiatry, with women being expected to comply with rigid treatment protocols, accepting the advice given by trauma "experts" that they are mentally unstable and that they must learn to manage the effects of violence in the absence of any real changes to their circumstances or resources. A critique of trauma treatment in its current form, Trauma, Women’s Mental Health, and Social Justice recommends practical steps towards a socio-political perspective on trauma which passionately re-engages with feminist values and activist principles.
Book Synopsis Reframing Trauma Through Social Justice by : Catrina Brown
Download or read book Reframing Trauma Through Social Justice written by Catrina Brown and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2024-07-31 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This cross-disciplinary volume examines and reframes trauma as a social and political issue in the context of wider society, critiquing the widely accepted pathologizing of trauma and violence in current discourse. Rooted in critical social theory, this insightful text reinvokes the critiques and analysis of the women’s movement and the "personal is political" framing of trauma to unpack the mainstreaming of trauma discourse which has emerged today. Accomplished contributors address the social construction of femininity and masculinity in relation to trauma and violence, and advocate for a broader framing of trauma away from the constrained focus on pathologizing and diagnosing trauma, individual psychologizing and therapy. Instead, the book offers a fresh and compelling look at how discursive resistance, alternative feminist and narrative approaches to emotional distress and the mental health effects of violence can be developed alongside community-based, preventive, political and policy-based actions to create effective shifts in discourse, practice, policy and programming. This is fascinating reading for upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate students, researchers and academics in a broad range of fields of study, including psychology, social work, gender and women’s studies and sociology, as well as for professionals, including policy makers, clinical psychologists and social workers.
Book Synopsis Psychiatric Oppression in Women's Lives by : Emma Tseris
Download or read book Psychiatric Oppression in Women's Lives written by Emma Tseris and published by Palgrave Macmillan. This book was released on 2024-11-07 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a comprehensive analysis of women's experiences within mental health services, demonstrating the need for a radical paradigm shift in how women's distress and experiences are understood. Drawing on extensive fieldwork on coercive mental health treatment, including interviews, participatory action research, arts-based research, and public sociology, the book centres the knowledge, skills, and creativity of psychiatrised women. Informed by intersectional feminism and critical mental health theory, the book explores the interlocking oppressions of psychiatric harm and patriarchal power, alongside women's survivorship and resistances. Areas covered include the pathologisation of women's emotions within mental health services, violence and deprivations in involuntary treatment, the surveillance of mothering, and social exclusions arising from psychiatric diagnoses. The book highlights the ability of collective and creative research processes to move beyond the task of documenting psychiatric harm, towards imagining rich alternatives to biomedical, therapeutic, and carceral practices in mental health. It offers a critique of the notions of ‘benevolence’ and ‘expertise’, which are commonly used to justify psychiatric coercion. It will appeal to students and scholars working across the fields of critical mental health, sociology, social work, psychiatry, mental health nursing and gender studies. Emma Tseris is senior lecturer in Social Work and Policy Studies at the University of Sydney, Australia, researching feminist and critical mental health theory. She is the author of Trauma, Women's Mental Health and Social Justice: Pitfalls and Possibilities (2019) and co-author of Using Social Research for Social Justice (2023). Scarlett Franks is a survivor researcher from the University of Sydney, Australia, who also serves on the Survivor College of the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse, the board of directors of the Grace Tame Foundation, and the Advisory Panel of the NSW Office of the Anti-Slavery Commissioner. Eva Bright Hart is a feminist survivor researcher from the University of Sydney, Australia. She is a senior social worker and public health professional from a rural area. Eva is also known as a mother, teacher, gardener, cook, author, activist and artist. As a survivor of psychiatric and gendered violence Eva uses a protective pseudonym so she can contribute without the fear of further discrimination, disablement and involuntary psychiatric treatment for herself and her family. Eva means "living one".
Download or read book Invisible Trauma written by Anna Motz and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-02-25 with total page 277 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is an expectation that women will be nurturers and carers. Women who have been judged violent, destructive and criminal and who are detained in the criminal justice system can find themselves perceived through a distorted lens as unwomanly. This book explains how they become hypervisible in their difference, while the histories of trauma and suffering that are communicated through their offending and other risk behaviour remain hidden, and so are unseen. Bringing together authors uniquely placed as experts in their fields, Invisible Trauma argues that it is essential to trace the traumatic roots of women’s violence and criminality. Powerful intergenerational factors perpetuate the cycles of offending and trauma re-enactment that current sentencing practice overlooks. The authors present a psychoanalytically informed account of the development of violence and other offending, identifying pathways for change to address trauma within the lives of these women and their children, and also to create a responsive, effective and sensitive workforce. Invisible Trauma highlights the role of emotional, social and cultural forces in traumatising women who come into contact with the criminal justice system and uncovers areas of their lives that are all too often hidden from view. It will be invaluable to those working in clinical and forensic psychology, mental health nursing, psychotherapy, social work, medical practice and women’s health, as well as frontline practitioners in the criminal justice system, the health service and third sector organisations and for anyone with an interest in racism, equality and social justice.
Download or read book Invisible Trauma written by Anna Motz and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is an expectation that women will be nurturers and carers. Women who have been judged violent, destructive and criminal and who are detained in the criminal justice system can find themselves perceived through a distorted lens as unwomanly. This book explains how they become hypervisible in their difference, while the histories of trauma and suffering that are communicated through their offending and other risk behaviour remain hidden, and so are unseen. Bringing together authors uniquely placed as experts in their fields, Invisible Trauma argues that it is essential to trace the traumatic roots of women's violence and criminality. Powerful intergenerational factors perpetuate the cycles of offending and trauma re-enactment that current sentencing practice overlooks. The authors present a psychoanalytically informed account of the development of violence and other offending, identifying pathways for change to address trauma within the lives of these women and their children, and also to create a responsive, effective and sensitive workforce. Invisible Trauma highlights the role of emotional, social and cultural forces in traumatising women who come into contact with the criminal justice system and uncovers areas of their lives that are all too often hidden from view. It will be invaluable to those working in clinical and forensic psychology, mental health nursing, psychotherapy, social work, medical practice and women's health, as well as frontline practitioners in the criminal justice system, the health service and third sector organisations and for anyone with an interest in racism, equality and social justice.
Book Synopsis Social (In)Justice and Mental Health by : Ruth S. Shim, M.D., M.P.H.
Download or read book Social (In)Justice and Mental Health written by Ruth S. Shim, M.D., M.P.H. and published by American Psychiatric Pub. This book was released on 2020-12-09 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Social (In)Justice and Mental Health introduces readers to the concept of social justice and role that social injustice plays in the identification, diagnosis, and management of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. Unfair and unjust policies and practices, bolstered by deep-seated beliefs about the inferiority of some groups, has led to a small number of people having tremendous advantages, freedoms, and opportunities, while a growing number are denied those liberties and rights. The book provides a framework for thinking about why these inequities exist and persist and provides clinicians with a road map to address these inequalities as they relate to racism, the criminal justice system, and other systems and diagnoses. Social (In)Justice and Mental Health addresses the context in which mental health care is delivered, strategies for raising consciousness in the mental health profession, and ways to improve treatment while redressing injustice"--
Book Synopsis A Woman's Journal by : Stephanie S. Covington
Download or read book A Woman's Journal written by Stephanie S. Covington and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2019-05-21 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The latest, fully-revised and updated edition of classic and best-selling work in the field Since it was first published in 1999, Helping Women Recover has set the standard for best practice in the field of women's treatment. Helping Women Recover is a manualized treatment intervention based on Dr. Covington's Women's Integrated Treatment (WIT) model—offering a program developed to meet the unique needs of women addicted to alcohol, other drugs, and those with co-occurring disorders. Included in SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices, The Helping Women Recover program offers counselors, mental health professionals, and program administrators the tools they need to implement a gender-responsive, trauma-informed treatment program in group settings or with individual women in criminal justice settings. Now in its third edition, this binder set includes a hands on participant's journal, that has been updated with new material on opioid addictions, how to become trauma-informed and gender-responsive, LGBTQ issues, and more. Updated references, further reading suggestions, and a chapter for facilitators which includes the challenges of working in the criminal justice system help practitioners to effectively implement the program in daily practice. A vital tool for all mental health and addiction treatment professionals, Helping Women Recover: Draws from the most up-to-date theory and practical applications in the fields of addiction and trauma Covers the historical background and fundamental principles of gender-responsive services Provides guidance for facilitating an effective woman's treatment program Offers real-world insights on the role of the facilitator Includes an appendix of additional recovery resources such as The Sixteen Steps for Discovery & Empowerment and Women for Sobriety New Life Program Acceptance Statements Helping Women Recover is essential for mental health and addiction treatment professionals including counselors, therapists, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists who work with women in HWR is essential for anyone providing services to women in criminal justice settings.
Book Synopsis Trauma and Human Rights by : Lisa D. Butler
Download or read book Trauma and Human Rights written by Lisa D. Butler and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-07-17 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Human rights violations and traumatic events often comingle in victims’ experiences; however, the human rights framework and trauma theory are rarely deployed together to illuminate such experiences. This edited volume explores the intersection of trauma and human rights by presenting the development and current status of each of these frameworks, examining traumatic experiences and human rights violations across a range of populations and describing efforts to remediate them. Individual chapters address these topics among Native Americans, African Americans, children, women, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender individuals, those with mental disabilities, refugees and asylees, and older adults, and also in the context of social policy and truth and reconciliation commissions. The authors demonstrate that the trauma and human rights frameworks each contribute invaluable and complementary insights, and that their integration can help us fully appreciate and address human suffering at both individual and collective levels.
Book Synopsis Women on Probation and Parole by : Merry Morash
Download or read book Women on Probation and Parole written by Merry Morash and published by UPNE. This book was released on 2010 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first in-depth comparative look at gender-responsive versus traditional probation and parole for women
Author :Anita Riecher-Rössler Publisher :Karger Medical and Scientific Publishers ISBN 13 :3805599889 Total Pages :194 pages Book Rating :4.8/5 (55 download)
Book Synopsis Violence Against Women and Mental Health by : Anita Riecher-Rössler
Download or read book Violence Against Women and Mental Health written by Anita Riecher-Rössler and published by Karger Medical and Scientific Publishers. This book was released on 2013 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Too prevalent to ignore : violence against women, its prevalence, and health consequences / García-Moreno, C., Stockl, H. -- Gender-based violence in the Middle-East : a review / Madi Skaff, J. -- Violence against women in Latin America / Gaviria A., S.L. -- Violence against women in south Asia / Niaz, U. -- Violence against women in Europe : magnitude and the mental health consequences described by different data sources / Helweg-Larsen, K. -- Intimate partner violence as a risk factor for mental health in South Africa / Jewkes, R. -- Intimate partner violence and mental health / Oram, S., Howard, L.M. -- Sexual assault and women's mental health / Martin, S.L., Parcesepe, A.M. -- Child sexual abuse of girls / MacMillan, H.L., Wathen, C.N. -- Sexual violence and armed conflict : a systematic review of psychosocial support interventions / Stavrou, V. -- Abuse and trafficking among female migrants and refugees / Kastrup, M. -- Abuse in doctor-patient relationships / Tschan, W. -- Workplace harassment based on sex : a risk factor for women's mental health / Cortina, L.M., Leskinen, E.A. -- Violence against women and suicidality : does violence cause suicidal behaviour? / Devries, K.M., Seguin, M. -- Violence against women suffering from severe psychiatric illness / Rondon, M.B. -- Violence against women and mental health : conclusions / García-Moreno, C., Riecher-Rössler, A.
Author :Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Publisher :Createspace Independent Publishing Platform ISBN 13 :9781974363568 Total Pages :80 pages Book Rating :4.3/5 (635 download)
Book Synopsis Women and Trauma by : Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Download or read book Women and Trauma written by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-08-08 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the early 1990s, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) began a series of initiatives to raise awareness regarding the increasing numbers of women seeking services from public mental health and substance abuse programs who had experienced personal histories of violence and trauma, frequently beginning in childhood. Initially, attention focused on the pervasiveness of the problem, with experiences of violence leading to traumatic stress in more than 80-90% of women seeking services. Troubling manifestations of traumatic stress included physical health consequences and precipitous spiritual questioning as well as commonly labeled psychiatric and substance use disorders. For women survivors, addressing the full range of impacts of trauma often required involvement of the entire spectrum of public health services in ongoing trauma resolution and recovery efforts, typically involving the need for supported "safe" housing, supported education and employment assistance, family welfare supports, and possible contact with criminal justice and/or victim assistance programs. Due to the spiraling number of people impacted and the wide range of consequences, trauma is now believed to be a "public health crisis." Existing providers lacked the capacity to effectively assist women with histories of abuse and trauma. A number of troubling service delivery breakdowns were identified, including widespread lack of screening or assessment for trauma; lack of training in clinical and community-based trauma treatment; and misdiagnosis, under-diagnosis or failure to diagnose trauma as the issue underlying a wide range of problems. Compounding problems further, providers typically offered only the standard regimen of services-as-usual for these women, which often led to a revolving door of treatment and discharge. Even when correctly diagnosed, trauma was typically viewed as one episode or event in the lives of these women, rather than an ongoing series of violent events woven throughout the life cycle. Little or no attention was paid to the inter-generational cycle of trauma that kept recurring within trauma-impacted families. To address the lack of capacity to effectively serve women who had experienced trauma, SAMHSA sponsored a five-year "Women and Violence" Study (1998-2003) to develop and evaluate new trauma service paradigms. This research study demonstrated that trauma requires a central focus in treatment and needs to be integrated into the provision of related public health and social services. This approach, called "trauma-integrated counseling," has demonstrated efficacy and practicality. New gender-specific group psychosocial empowerment and education counseling models introduced in the "Women and Violence" study are now evidence-based interventions that have been widely applied with significant impact on the recovery of women trauma survivors. In 2004 SAMHSA's National Center for Trauma-Informed Care (NCTIC) was funded to provide technical assistance to public health programs interested in adopting a "trauma-informed" 5 organizational and services delivery paradigm that focuses on trauma as the key issue to be addressed in facilitating recovery. Currently, more than 45 State Mental Health Authorities are in the process of implementing trauma-informed systems and services, and trauma-informed care is spreading rapidly to all segments of the public health system. The Women and Trauma Committee will be instrumental in leading and supporting these new movements.
Book Synopsis Responding to Physical and Sexual Abuse in Women with Alcohol and Other Drug and Mental Disorders by : Bonita Veysey
Download or read book Responding to Physical and Sexual Abuse in Women with Alcohol and Other Drug and Mental Disorders written by Bonita Veysey and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn from the experiences of these program sites to develop better services for women with co-occurring disorders and histories of violence This book explores the efforts of the Women, Co-Occurring Disorders and Violence Study to address the significant lack of appropriate services for women trauma survivors with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Experts describe the services integration programs of nine participating sites that address the multiple needs of these women. In this guide, you will find useful strategies for integrating services that are responsive to the strengths and needs of the individual as well as the community. This vital resource examines how—over a period of five years—sites designed, implemented, and evaluated their interventions. You will learn how sites developed their strategies for integrating services at both the clinical/individual level and at the services or systems level. The book also shows how trauma-informed, gender-specific, culturally competent care fosters treatment that is sensitive to related issues such as children and parenting, interpreting culture cues, and socioeconomic difficulties. In Responding to Physical and Sexual Abuse in Women with Alcohol and Other Drug and Mental Disorders, you will learn about the details of nine different programs, including: Franklin County Women’s Research Project—a collaborative project for rural women, designed and operated by local consumer/survivor/recovering women (CSRs) The Triad Women’s Project—a semi-rural comprehensive system of care to respond to the needs of women and children The Women Embracing Life and Living (WELL) Project-interventions include trauma, parenting, systems integration and mutual help groups with Integrated Care Facilitators providing resource coordination and advocacy services PROTOTYPES, Centers for Innovation in Health, Mental Health, and Social Services—the three levels of integration the Systems Change Center implemented the Boston Health Commission—an integrated model of trauma-informed services culturally and linguistically appropriate for its service population of primarily poor Latina and African American women Palladia’s Portal Project—a comprehensive trauma-informed intervention designed to put trauma and safety first to assist women remaining in treatment Arapahoe House’s New Directions for Families—a family-oriented intervention for women and their dependent children Allies—comprehensive, integrated services for women as well as intervention for their children, ages 5-10 The District of Columbia Trauma Collaboration Study (DCTCS)—a two-phase project addressing the needs of dually diagnosed women trauma survivors Responding to Physical and Sexual Abuse in Women with Alcohol and Other Drug and Mental Disorders provides you with first-hand accounts of the process by which programs and service systems were transformed. As challenges were met and strategy was adapted to “real world” situations, the sites discussed in this text found new and improved methods for helping this unique group of women. The book offers tips, solutions, and possibilities to mental health professionals, substance abuse professionals, and domestic violence professionals, and even patients and/or clients searching for support.
Book Synopsis Trauma and Mental Health Social Work With Urban Populations by : Rhonda Wells-Wilbon
Download or read book Trauma and Mental Health Social Work With Urban Populations written by Rhonda Wells-Wilbon and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-12-30 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Addressing the social problems associated with trauma and mental health amongst African Americans in urban environments, this book uses an African-centered lens to critique the most common practice models and interventions currently employed by social workers in the field. Divided into four parts and grounded in traditional African cultural values, it argues that basic key values in a new clinical model for mental health diagnosis are: A spiritual component Collective/group approach Focus on wholeness Oneness with Nature Emphasis on truth, justice, balance, harmony, reciprocity, righteousness, and order Being free from racism, sexism, classism, and other forms of oppression, this African-centered approach is crucial for working with people of African origin who experience daily "trauma" through adverse living conditions. This book will be key reading on any practice and direct service course at both BSW and MSW level and will be a useful supplement on clinical courses as well as those aimed at working with diverse populations and those living in urban environments.
Book Synopsis Gender, Psychology, and Justice by : Corinne C. Datchi
Download or read book Gender, Psychology, and Justice written by Corinne C. Datchi and published by NYU Press. This book was released on 2017-04-18 with total page 327 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reveals how gender intersects with race, class, and sexual orientation in ways that impact the legal status and well-being of women and girls in the justice system. Women and girls’ contact with the justice system is often influenced by gender-related assumptions and stereotypes. The justice practices of the past 40 years have been largely based on conceptual principles and assumptions—including personal theories about gender—more than scientific evidence about what works to address the specific needs of women and girls in the justice system. Because of this, women and girls have limited access to equitable justice and are increasingly caught up in outdated and harmful practices, including the net of the criminal justice system. Gender, Psychology, and Justice uses psychological research to examine the experiences of women and girls involved in the justice system. Their experiences, from initial contact with justice and court officials, demonstrate how gender intersects with race, class, and sexual orientation to impact legal status and well-being. The volume also explains the role psychology can play in shaping legal policy, ranging from the areas of corrections to family court and drug court. Gender, Psychology, and Justice provides a critical analysis of girls’ and women’s experiences in the justice system. It reveals the practical implications of training and interventions grounded in psychological research, and suggests new principles for working with women and girls in legal settings.
Book Synopsis Understanding Women′s Recovery From Illness and Trauma by : Margaret H. Kearney
Download or read book Understanding Women′s Recovery From Illness and Trauma written by Margaret H. Kearney and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 1999-06-23 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Understanding Women′s Recovery from Illness and Trauma is a practical guide to the "why" and "how" questions of human responses to illness. With this volume, Margaret Kearney presents aspects of women′s experiences that counselors are not always exposed to, and provides support in the treatment of women who are facing or recovering from serious illness and other health crises. This book draws on qualitative data from a variety of sources and offers a theoretical model of women′s health and identity. Kearney begins with an overview of that model and discusses the grounded theory approach to collecting and analyzing experiential data. She next moves on to describing a number of health crises, recovery situations, women′s responses to these events, and discusses clinical implications for women undergoing these experiences. The author also examines women′s approaches to staying healthy and balancing their lives, and she closes by suggesting areas for future research. She also discusses policy implications for health and human service agencies that deal specifically with women from various cultural and ethnic groups. Understanding Women′s Recovery from Illness and Trauma synthesizes the many studies that have been conducted on the topic across various disciplines. As such, this book provides one of the first general resources for therapists and counselors who work with women. It will also be particularly interesting to graduate and undergraduate students of clinical psychology, counseling, and social work, women′s studies, and education. This volume will prove useful for in-service training programs for counselors, social workers, nurses, and psychologists.
Book Synopsis Critical Inquiries for Social Justice in Mental Health by : Marina Morrow
Download or read book Critical Inquiries for Social Justice in Mental Health written by Marina Morrow and published by University of Toronto Press. This book was released on 2017-01-01 with total page 521 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An exceptional showcase of interdisciplinary research, Critical Inquiries for Social Justice in Mental Health presents various critical theories, methodologies, and methods for transforming mental health research and fostering socially-just mental health practices. Marina Morrow and Lorraine Halinka Malcoe have assembled an array of international scholars, activists, and practitioners whose work exposes and disrupts the dominant neoliberal and individualist practices found in contemporary mental research, policy, and practice. The contributors employ a variety of methodologies including intersectional, decolonizing, indigenous, feminist, post-structural, transgender, queer, and critical realist approaches in order to interrogate the manifestation of power relations in mental health systems and its impact on people with mental distress. Additionally, the contributors enable the reader to reimagine systems and supports designed from the bottom up, in which the people most affected have decision-making authority over their formations. Critical Inquiries for Social Justice in Mental Health demonstrates why and how theory matters for knowledge production, policy, and practice in mental health, and it creates new imaginings of decolonized and democratized mental health systems, of abundant community-centred supports, and of a world where human differences are affirmed.
Book Synopsis The Social Determinants of Mental Health by : Michael T. Compton
Download or read book The Social Determinants of Mental Health written by Michael T. Compton and published by American Psychiatric Pub. This book was released on 2015-04-01 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Social Determinants of Mental Health aims to fill the gap that exists in the psychiatric, scholarly, and policy-related literature on the social determinants of mental health: those factors stemming from where we learn, play, live, work, and age that impact our overall mental health and well-being. The editors and an impressive roster of chapter authors from diverse scholarly backgrounds provide detailed information on topics such as discrimination and social exclusion; adverse early life experiences; poor education; unemployment, underemployment, and job insecurity; income inequality, poverty, and neighborhood deprivation; food insecurity; poor housing quality and housing instability; adverse features of the built environment; and poor access to mental health care. This thought-provoking book offers many beneficial features for clinicians and public health professionals: Clinical vignettes are included, designed to make the content accessible to readers who are primarily clinicians and also to demonstrate the practical, individual-level applicability of the subject matter for those who typically work at the public health, population, and/or policy level. Policy implications are discussed throughout, designed to make the content accessible to readers who work primarily at the public health or population level and also to demonstrate the policy relevance of the subject matter for those who typically work at the clinical level. All chapters include five to six key points that focus on the most important content, helping to both prepare the reader with a brief overview of the chapter's main points and reinforce the "take-away" messages afterward. In addition to the main body of the book, which focuses on selected individual social determinants of mental health, the volume includes an in-depth overview that summarizes the editors' and their colleagues' conceptualization, as well as a final chapter coauthored by Dr. David Satcher, 16th Surgeon General of the United States, that serves as a "Call to Action," offering specific actions that can be taken by both clinicians and policymakers to address the social determinants of mental health. The editors have succeeded in the difficult task of balancing the individual/clinical/patient perspective and the population/public health/community point of view, while underscoring the need for both groups to work in a unified way to address the inequities in twenty-first century America. The Social Determinants of Mental Health gives readers the tools to understand and act to improve mental health and reduce risk for mental illnesses for individuals and communities. Students preparing for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) will also benefit from this book, as the MCAT in 2015 will test applicants' knowledge of social determinants of health. The social determinants of mental health are not distinct from the social determinants of physical health, although they deserve special emphasis given the prevalence and burden of poor mental health.
