A new book about mental health which is likely to become a standard text for nursing and health students will be launched at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst at the end of February.

Mental Health – A person-centred approach, has been co-authored and co-edited by Ms Denise McGarry, lecturer in mental health at the CSU School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health in Bathurst.

"My co-authors and I realised there was a gap in the resources available for teaching mental health best-practice to nurses, paramedics and other health care workers, particularly in the Australia and New Zealand context, so we decided to develop this book," Ms McGarry said.

"One of the strengths of the book is that it aligns leading mental health research with an emphasis on the need for human connections in the provision of mental health services. It draws from a range of mental health practitioners with a depth of real-world experience, and features diverse academic, professional, and consumer and carer contributions.

"These include narratives by consumers, as well as reflective questions for readers to consider, extension activities, and suggestions for further reading."

Topics examined in Mental Health – A person-centred approach include the determinants of mental health, and the impact of mental illness on Aboriginal Australians, Maori, migrants and refugees, and the homeless. The book explores how mental illness relates to substance abuse, sexuality and gender, nutrition and behaviour, as well as the affect on children, young people, older people, and those living in rural and regional areas.

"Significantly, the book addresses legal and ethical aspects of patient care, the transition by health students to professional roles, and the need for them to ensure they maintain a sense of connection with their clients and patients, as well as inter-professional collaboration," Ms McGarry said.

Professor Louise O'Brien, the Professor of Nursing (Mental Health) at the University of Newcastle, and Adjunct Professor at CSU, UNSW, and UWS, will be the guest speaker at the launch.

Mental Health – A person-centred approach by Nicholas Procter, Helen Hamer, Denise McGarry, Rhonda Wilson and Terry Froggatt is published by Cambridge University Press. It will be launched at 5pm Friday 28 February at the Foundation Room 1, the Centre for Professional Development (building S17) at CSU in Bathurst. �U