ABSTRACT
Comprehensive mental health not only encompasses the treatment of a range of behavioral and mental disorders, but it presupposes preventive efforts directed at vulnerable populations and the ability to promote a well-being that enables individuals to maximize their abilities, cope with stresses, enjoy satisfying family and work relationships, and actively participate in the life of their communities. Practitioners who would implement and realize such a broad and full professional agenda must see themselves as leaders getting better over time and able to orchestrate their careers for maximum effect. Not only must they be capable of best practices themselves, but they must mentor the less educated and less experienced, and work across disciplinary barriers to move forward initiatives that no one profession can manage by itself. Realizing this complex professional agenda is further complicated by the fact that many of the commonplace mental disorders are associated with co-morbidities, from HIV/AIDS to poverty, which are challenging to address.
