Ties that Enable: Community Solidarity for People Living with Serious Mental Health Problems

Ties that Enable is a book for students, providers, and advocates seeking to improve mental health care. It emphasizes the role of communities in providing social solidarity and argues that mental health reform efforts need to move beyond a focus on individual recovery to more complex understandings of the meaning of community care. It also suggests that mental health care needs to move from a medical model to a social model.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 168 pages
Publication date: 13 August 2021
Publisher: Rutgers University Press

"Ties that Enable" is a comprehensive guide designed to assist students, providers, and advocates in enhancing mental health care for themselves, their loved ones, clients, and the broader community. The authors, who possess extensive knowledge and experience in the field of mental health care as researchers, teachers, and advocates, draw upon the insights and experiences of individuals living with severe mental health challenges to better understand the foundations of community solidarity.

Communities, as the primary source of social cohesion, hold the key to addressing the complex problems faced by individuals with severe mental health conditions. Recognizing the diverse nature of communities, solutions must begin at the community level. "Ties that Enable" delves into the role of a faith-based community group in fostering a sense of belonging and reinforcing a valued social identity. The authors argue that mental health reform efforts must transcend the narrow focus on individual recovery and encompass a more comprehensive understanding of community care. Furthermore, mental health care should shift from a medical model to a social model, recognizing that the roots of mental illness and recovery lie in society rather than solely within the individual.

The authors highlight the societal limitations in creating inclusive and supportive environments that hinder individuals' recovery. This book offers valuable insights into how communities and system-level reforms can promote justice and the higher ideals we aspire to as a society. By understanding the power of community and advocating for systemic changes, individuals and organizations can work towards creating a more compassionate and inclusive mental health care system that serves the needs of all individuals, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Weight: 230g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781978818750