Mobilising Community Resources for Mental Health: Community Facilitators' Insights from Estonian Counties

Mental health issues are a growing concern in Estonia, while limited healthcare resources constrain the capacity of formal services to respond to increasing needs. This study explored how community facilitators interpreted the role of communities in mental health promotion, prevention, and recovery following engagement with a shared conceptual framework on community mental health. Between May 2023 and January 2024, a qualitative interpretive study was conducted through seven regional seminars involving 229 community facilitators representing all 15 Estonian counties. Discussions were structured around the World Health Organization Community Mental Health Guide and the Estonian Human Development Report: Mental Health and Well-Being. Data were collected through participatory observation and systematic note-taking and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Participants understood community as extending beyond geographical boundaries and being rooted in trust, belonging, shared values, and collective responsibility. Mental health was interpreted as a holistic and relational phenomenon embedded in everyday environments rather than solely as a healthcare issue. Participants emphasised the preventive value of local resources, informal support networks, community spaces, and cross-sector collaboration, while also identifying barriers including limited service availability, low awareness of existing resources, and the predominance of treatment-oriented approaches. The findings suggest that strengthening community mental health requires greater investment in prevention, stronger cross-sector collaboration, and broader recognition of community resources and non-clinical actors. The study contributes empirical evidence on how community facilitators conceptualise community as a foundation for mental health and highlights the potential of community-based approaches to complement formal mental health services.