This chapter provides an overview of dissemination and implementation science, which focuses on how clinical interventions can be effectively employed with various client populations in various settings. It reviews some of the ways – other than the one-to-one in-person format – that mental health care can be delivered, including in groups, couples, and families. It also describes advances in technology-delivered services, the increasing role of non-specialist providers in delivering mental health care around the world, and community-based efforts to prevent mental health problems. It concludes with a discussion of self-help and complementary integrative techniques, highlighting the broad range of methods available to deliver mental health services and the need to consider a wider range of delivery models to help reduce the global gap between treatment needs and treatment availability.

In Chapter 1 we define community, consulting, and other concepts that inform and influence our work as community consultants. We explain how community consulting is different from other types of consulting, describe the purpose of the book, and provide guidance for readers in making the most use of the information provided.

This chapter addresses the gap between community psychology’s original social action focus and the current status of the literature. It concludes that the field has moved away from its original drive of social action and community empowerment, leaving a disconnection between community psychology’s initial aspirations (e.g., social justice, empowerment, community support) and the reality of the field in terms of theoretical, research, and practice output. Changing the community psychology narrative, as operationalized by the previous chapters, is deemed necessary so that community psychologists can further engage in reflexivity about power dynamics and privilege, consider sociopolitical aspects of communities, and participate in interdisciplinary collaboration both domestically and transnationally. Critical areas needed to change the community psychology narrative are presented. These include: diversifying theoretical approaches; diversifying research approaches and methods; making practice more accessible through the development of community mental health care that addresses the needs of diverse groups; incorporating a participatory pedagogy in teaching; and restructuring tenure and promotion processes so that collaboration, transnational work, and nonquantitative approaches are rewarded.

Promoting youth resilience and well-being in vulnerable rural populations requires a coordinated approach that builds connections between schools, families, community resources, and school mental health clinicians. Emphasizing a community psychology and ecological systems approach, this chapter describes how one school–community–university partnership improved school mental health (SMH) programming and reduced the impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in eight rural South Carolina elementary schools. This approach included delivering a continuum of evidence-based SMH services, helping families navigate community resources to address concrete needs that would otherwise function as barriers to student well-being and achievement, building community-level ACE awareness and capacity for resiliency promotion, and conducting a thorough mixed-methods evaluation to highlight program achievements and areas for improvement. Information on the nature and outcomes of the project and strategies for conducting rich evaluations for similar regional programs are presented. Finally, a new model – the Empower Action Model – for organizations interested in developing a functional, coordinated plan of action for improving equity, health, and well-being in their communities is introduced.

Sexual orientation is considered from Savin-Williams’ continuum perspective, and gender and sexual orientation are both conceptualized from a fluid, rather than a categorical viewpoint. A Minority Stress Model is applied to the experience of LGBTQ+ communities, whereby stress reactions relate to concerns about one’s safety, discrimination, oppression, and internalized oppression, among many other negative mental and physical health outcomes. Proximal and distal stressors are presented in conjunction with the Minority Stress Model and applied to several domains illustrating community gaps and interventions in academic, legislative, religious, economic, medical, social, and social-environmental realms. Key policies are presented supporting greater rights for LGBTQ+ communities. Despite these advances, significant gaps remain with regard to responsiveness to the needs of LGBTQ+ communities. A case study highlights adverse effects and policy regarding conversion therapy.

We take a community psychology approach to understanding how social media affects community populations. Community psychology must always be advancing as the Internet and social media become more intertwined in users’ everyday lives. We consider the history of the rise in social media use, examining the timeline of different platforms and their purposes. The Internet is discussed as being a means of social interaction and connection, used to relate to others who share interests and experiences, or who are far away. Despite this, social media can negatively affect populations in terms of mental health. Increased use of cyberbullying has been linked with an increase in depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self harm, and suicidal ideation for those who are at risk. The term FoMO describes decreased life satisfaction as a result of inherent social comparisons online. On the other hand, social media platforms provide a helpful, supportive space for people to share their stories and knowledge. The literature on community psychology needs to incorporate greater focus on social media given its prominence in today’s society. The information, images, and representations we view affect our discourse regarding people, cultures, policies, and anything else that may affect individual lives.

This introductory chapter underscores how the events of 2020 remind us of the importance of community. It discusses how the experience of COVID-19 shows how we are connected across the globe. At the same time, the chapter addresses the differential impact of COVID-19 on communities of color. The chapter talks about how the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd highlight national and transnational concerns with police brutality and racial profiling. These realities introduce questions such as: What does it mean to belong to a community? How do systemic racism and discrimination interfere with belongingness, access to freedom, and even life and survival? How can communities push macro-level change in the face of systemic oppression? A brief history of community psychology and a review of key competencies are provided. A rationale and overall introduction to the book is included.