Developing Solo City Conducive for Mentally Healthy Children and Adolescents

Background: The mental wellbeing of children and adolescents is just as important of their physical health. Good mental health allows children and young people to develop the resilience to cope with whatever life throws at them and grow into well-rounded, healthy adults. Currently, however, mental health problems affect about 1 in 10 children and young people worldwide. They include depression, anxiety, and conduct disorder, which are often a direct response to what is happening in their lives. This study aimed to assess the development of Solo city that promotes mental health of the children and adolescents. Subjects and Method: This was a qualitative study conducted in Surakarta, Central Java. A number of key informants were selected for this study consisting of bureaucrat, health planners, health practitioners, psychiatrists, psychiatry students, and community leaders. The theme under study was the development of Solo city that promotes mental health of the children and adolescents. The data were collected by in-depth interview, focus group discussion, and document review. Results: The development of mentally healthy city started from the top level multi sectoral coordination, with Solo city mayor took the central figure. Some activities had been done for the promotion of child and adolescent mental health, including the development of module to achieve competence of psychiatry residents, mental health care services provided by the resident for community members, screening of mental disorder requiring medical treatment at Solo Autistic Service Center (PLA), psychiatric introductory seminars for teachers, training on early detection of mental disorder (including autism) for teachers and health workers, and training on mental health nursing. Conlusion: Positive multi sectoral collaborative coordinated efforts have been initiated and exerted by bureaucrats, health planners, health practitioners, psychiatrists, psychiatry students, and community leaders. Some activities have been carried out for the development of Solo city that promotes mental health of the children and adolescents. Keywords: city, development, mental health, children, adolescents