Along with rapid economic growth, industrialization, urbanization and the intensification of social competition, there are rising concerns on the various psychological stress and increasingly prominent mental health problems. The《Outline of the Healthy China 2030 Plan》clearly states that we need to promote mental health. Mental health includes not only mental health promotion and the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of mental disorders, but also mental health consulting and health improving. 

To advance the mental health industry, meet the demands of the public for mental health consulting and therapy, promote the development of healthy Jiangsu and healthy China, the department of mental health was established by the school of public health in July 2019, on the basis of thorough investigation of the development of public health and preventive medicine and demands of talent training, aiming to play a leading role in teaching and research, talent training and social services in the field of mental health, and advancing the improvement of the connotation of the discipline.