January 10, 1930

Action Steps for Improving Women's Mental Health

Since 1999, an increasing body of evidence from the research base, public policy analysis, consumer advocacy, and health care practice has underscored the critical importance of mental health to the overall health of women. Many advances have been made in our understanding of mental illnesses, effective treatments, and promising approaches for promoting mental health. A key component of this progress has been the increased understanding of the critical role of gender in the risks, course, and treatment of mental illnesses. New research findings have pointed to the effectiveness of a growing array of treatment options for mental illnesses and of a new model of treatment that is recovery-oriented, strengths-based, and includes the active participation of individuals in their treatment. However, for this knowledge to be effective, it must be translated into tangible actions that can promote change and support progress to improve the mental and overall health. Thus, this report, by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Office of Women's Health, proposes to promote the widespread understanding that women's mental health is an essential part of their overall health, improve the interface of primary care and mental health services for women, accelerate research to increase the knowledge base of the role of gender in mental health, and increase gender and cultural diversity in academic research and medicine.