Introduction: This rapid review explores decolonial and critical approaches to community wellbeing and mental health (CWMH) in existing literature to provide insights into addressing CWMH disparities in Indigenous, racialized, and Global South communities.
Methods: The study employed a rapid review method to expedite gathering, screening, and analyzing relevant literature. Data synthesis and analysis involved thematic analysis of extracted information from the documents that met inclusion criteria.
Results: Analysis included 18 documents published between 2005 and 2023, reporting on interventions in nine countries. The thematic analysis findings highlighted the importance of incorporating decolonial and critical perspectives in CWMH initiatives to address systemic disparities, shared the different types of interventions, and recommendations and lessons learned.
Discussion: This study explores the transformative potential of decolonial and critical approaches in community wellbeing and mental health. It highlights the importance of centering marginalized communities’ knowledge and adopting social justice-oriented strategies. By promoting inclusive, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed interventions, these frameworks offer promising pathways to address systemic inequalities and foster holistic CWMH.