Is there a future in mental health promotion and consultation for nurses?

There is an increasing focus on the importance of mental health promotion from an international perspective to national and statewide levels within Australia. This focus on promotion is relevant to mental health nurses as we are currently unable to address the mental health needs of young people within our existing Australian mental health services. Mental health promotion and prevention approaches enhance the capacities of individuals and communities to understand and respond to mental health issues, while promoting the mental health of whole populations. These approaches develop collaborative intersectoral relationships and have the potential to address mental health issues across whole communities. The author overviews general mental health promotion literature before specifically focussing on young people and their mental health needs. Current issues for mental health nurses are then presented alongside the author's own previous child, adolescent and family mental health promotion practice within a rural part of Victoria, Australia. Her purpose is to illustrate the potential challenges, opportunities and strategies in implementing new mental health promotion roles for nurses with young people who are most at risk of developing a mental health issue.