This course will address an array of mental health perspectives, including research, policy and ethics. The research section will review various research approaches, data analysis and the skill of putting evidence into practice. The second section will address legal acts which guide care, such as the Mental Health Act, care models in psychiatry, and policies/standards that influence care. The third section will discuss ethical and sociological influences related to mental health concerns, such as the influence of gender, poverty, the use of alternative health care, spiritual/cultural influences and First Nations' mental health perspectives.