Government programmes, policies and national projects in the last three years have given increasing emphasis to public mental health and well-being. This has changed the focus of public service agencies towards promoting and protecting better mental health, not just among the unwell but across whole populations.
This report examines local leaders’ perceptions of public mental health and well-being, the progress they have made, how they are acting on recent evidence, and the complementary nature of addressing mental illness and improving mental well-being. It aims to describe the current state of public mental health and well-being and to provide a sense of what would help to take this work forward locally and nationally.