Mental Health and Social Work

Abstract

This article is about social work relating to people with mental health problems. It explores historically how the care and treatment of service users with mental health issues have developed. This exploration is informed by four key themes: the advances in psychiatric treatments, the ways in which mental health and recovery are understood, a changing landscape of policy and legislation, and the influence of those with lived experience of mental distress and those who care for them on the reform of the service delivery agenda. The article offers international examples to illustrate the above and considers the role of mental health social workers in respect of the dilemmas, challenges, and opportunities that arise from the work they do.