Mental health, well-being and recovery-oriented practice: A study of community services in one English center

The concept of mental health continues to be a high profile and highly sensitive issue not least because we all experience degrees of anxiety, depression, and stress at different times in our lives. Mental health policy and practice has traditionally been dominated by notions of care, control, and costs, something that contemporary community based services are working to overcome. While a focus on protection and risk continues to shape mainstream practice in statutory social services, there is an increasing recognition of the need for partnership and prevention, incorporating adult learning, recovery, and well-being. An emphasis on prevention, to promote well-being now informs many new partnerships between health, social care, and other public services. The center in this study represents a good example of what can be achieved at the local level, based upon an integrated recovery-oriented approach designed to promote longer term health and lifestyle change. This article reports on research carried out between 2015 and 2017 using a mixed method design to assess service effectiveness and identify what blend of support services facilitated the greatest change. Overall it was found that developing a joined-up partnership approach, facilitating access to talking therapies, social activity, and person-centered support, was crucial for improving clients mental health and promoting well-being.