Bridging the Shorelines

This chapter examines how ecological vulnerability, systemic inequities, and cultural identity interact to shape mental health in insular and coastal regions. It aims to develop an integrative framework, the Shoreline Mental Health Equity Model (SMHEM), that links community resilience, cross border collaboration, and ethical governance. Using an interdisciplinary synthesis of empirical research, policy analysis, and case studies from Mediterranean and Caribbean contexts (2020–2025), the chapter adopts a qualitative meta,analytic approach informed by ecological systems theory and trauma,informed care principles. Findings reveal that mental health disparities in coastal populations stem from structural fragility, workforce shortages, and policy invisibility rather than geographic isolation alone.