Global Mental Health Action Network

💡How can we collectively strengthen and amplify the voices of advocates to improve mental health for all? This World Mental Health Day, we’re sharing a sneak preview of our NEW long-term strategy at the WHO’s Mental Health Forum in Geneva. We have outlined how the Global Mental Health Action Network plans to scale its core mission of bringing together the world’s most diverse community of advocates to catalyse change. Our Network members have made it clear that we need to work towards a more equitable future, with a fairer distribution of power, influence, funding, services, and mental health workforce. We intend to lead by example and foster collaborative spaces and mechanisms that champion diverse leadership, equity and inclusion. Developing capacity, sharing opportunities and amplifying the voices of advocates is core to mental health improvement and central to our mission as the world’s leading network for mental health advocacy! Join us at our strategy launch event on 14th October to discover how we plan to grow the mental health field and nurture our growing network of advocates to drive meaningful action! 📢 Action Network Strategy Launch Event 📅 Monday 14th October, 2pm BST 📝 Register now - https://lnkd.in/e39gmBnf #WorldMentalHealthDay #MHForAll #GlobalMentalHealth 

Health workers’ are the backbone of our health care systems yet many struggle without the support they deserve. “Making mental health a core part of health workers’ benefits would ensure they receive the care they need,” says Aisha Abdullahi Bubah, a psychologist from Nigeria. 👉 Read her story here : http://bit.ly/3Y1EVYY Aisha Abdullahi Bubah Africa CDC ICN-International Council of Nurses IFMSA | International Federation of Medical Students' Associations World Health Organization Wellcome Trust Elton John AIDS Foundation The Global Fund Being Initiative Fondation Botnar Grand Challenges Canada #WMHD #WorkplaceMentalHealth #WMHD2024 #WorkplaceWellness

Mental health awareness is growing globally, but progress remains slow. The sector is still underfunded, and challenges like stigma and power imbalances are holding us back from creating real change. After months of consulting with hundreds of Global Mental Health Action Network members and partners from over 100 countries, one message is clear: as a community, we must strive for a sector that aligns with the change that we want to see in the world. As the leading global mental health advocacy network, with over 5,300 members from 160+ counties, we recognise that we are uniquely positioned to drive this important agenda. We’re excited to launch our ambitious NEW strategy for 2025-2035, built around four core pillars that will drive our mission forward. We’re committed to creating an equitable, decentralised, and effective global mental health sector that champions diverse leadership and strengthens the world’s capacity for mental health advocacy! With interest in mental health continuing to rise, now is the time to transform advocacy into lasting, impactful action at local, national, and global levels. 👉 Download the strategy: https://lnkd.in/dCJ2Emuq Not a member of the Action Network yet? Join over 5,000 mental health advocates from 165+ countries and be part of the change! 👉 Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/ezKW-WkP #MentalHealthForAll

Reflections on the key insights from the Generational Perspective Dialogue highlighting the potential of culturally responsive strategies to effectively address youth mental health.

It is exciting to be working in global mental health. It means interacting with people who are incredibly passionate about improving lives, with perspectives often rooted in real life, family and community experiences. But this work can also be frustrating. All too often, in meetings and events, I am reminded that it is a sector that remains unequal and, in certain respects, underdeveloped. Despite the increased interest in mental health over the past few years, our sector remains chronically and severely underfunded and there is still considerable stigma, and a significant (and increasing) global unmet need for the prevention and treatment of mental health conditions. It is in this context that we are launching today the new (and our first multi-year comprehensive) Strategy of the Global Mental Health Action Network. This Strategy is the collective "brainchild" of our membership and we have also spent time reflecting on what a reimagined global mental health sector might look like. So, as we are publishing our Strategy, we are also sharing a collective vision for what a different sector - perhaps a different world - might look like in 10 years. That is, if we work collectively and systematically in influencing, not only the decisions affecting people's lives but also, the structures (of power, healthcare, funding, training, partnering etc) affecting how we all work together in global mental health. Our collective 2035 vision is an ambitious reimagining of a different future. There is no other existing structure with the ability to facilitate ‘Global to Local implementation’ and ‘Local to Global influence’ in global mental health. We appreciate the responsibility that comes with our unique position, and we see our strategy as a vehicle that can help us realise these aspirations, contributing to this world that we want to see. Will you join us? https://lnkd.in/eY99XAs7 #mentalhealth #globalmentalhealth #globalhealth #decolonisingglobalhealth #publicmentalhealth

“We are also human beings who need mental health support just as much as the patients we serve,” Joseph Macharia, Psychologist/MindSkillz Coach at LVCT HEALTH Long hours, limited resources, and a heavy patient load are pushing health workers like Joseph, a psychologist in Kenya, to the brink of burnout. Despite being the backbone of the healthcare system, many health workers like Joseph are left without the support they need to care for themselves. Facing overwhelming challenges in under-resourced government facilities, Joseph has joined our campaign, calling for better mental health support, investment, and recognition for the health workforce. Read Joseph’s story here: http://bit.ly/3ZSfADu Joseph Macharia Africa CDC ICN-International Council of Nurses IFMSA | International Federation of Medical Students' Associations World Health Organization Wellcome Trust Elton John AIDS Foundation The Global Fund Being Initiative Fondation Botnar Grand Challenges Canada #WMHD #WorkplaceMentalHealth #WMHD2024 #WorkplaceWellness

Happy #WorldMentalHealthDay everyone! Adolescents face disproportionate risks of poor mental health outcomes in both high- and low-income settings. Digital mental health interventions are crucial for addressing these inequalities. As the Technical Lead for YLabs, based in Rwanda this year, I've learned the importance of: 1) Co-creation with youth: Culturally appropriate, youth-friendly digital mental health tools must involve young people in design, implementation, and evaluation to ensure they meet their needs. 2) Equity-focused tools: It’s essential to consider marginalized youth, which may involve providing access to devices, data, and designing for low levels of digital and mental health literacy. 3) Personalization: Digital mental health interventions should treat youth as individuals, not as a homogenous group. Digital tools should reflect the full diversity of young people, their needs and specific risk factors relevant to youth. 4) Diverse approaches: A range of interventions is needed to address different aspects of young people's mental health care journeys, from digital tools that support health workers during consultations to stigma-reducing tools that young people can access privately at home. It's been great to join conversations to further my thinking and partner with eMental Health International Collaborative (eMHIC) UNICEF McKinsey Health Institute United for Global Mental Health Kana Enomoto Anil Thapliyal Sarah Kline Kate Newhouse, CMgr CCMI

💡How can we collectively strengthen and amplify the voices of advocates to improve mental health for all? This World Mental Health Day, we’re sharing a sneak preview of our NEW long-term strategy at the WHO’s Mental Health Forum in Geneva. We have outlined how the Global Mental Health Action Network plans to scale its core mission of bringing together the world’s most diverse community of advocates to catalyse change. Our Network members have made it clear that we need to work towards a more equitable future, with a fairer distribution of power, influence, funding, services, and mental health workforce. We intend to lead by example and foster collaborative spaces and mechanisms that champion diverse leadership, equity and inclusion. Developing capacity, sharing opportunities and amplifying the voices of advocates is core to mental health improvement and central to our mission as the world’s leading network for mental health advocacy! Join us at our strategy launch event on 14th October to discover how we plan to grow the mental health field and nurture our growing network of advocates to drive meaningful action! 📢 Action Network Strategy Launch Event 📅 Monday 14th October, 2pm BST 📝 Register now - https://lnkd.in/e39gmBnf #WorldMentalHealthDay #MHForAll #GlobalMentalHealth 

James Sale from United for Global Mental Health makes a clear call to action at the end of the World Health Organization Mental Health Forum, acknowledging the important role of the Global Mental Health Action Network in convening the sector and advocates from around the world on the road to the United Nations High Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health in 2025.

🎙️ BBC Podcast highlights the mental wellbeing of health workers 🎙️ For #WorldMentalHealthDay, United for Global Mental Health in partnership with Africa CDC, ICN-International Council of Nurses and the IFMSA - International Federation of Medical Students Association - together representing millions of health workers and future health workers - have launched a new campaign. We are calling for better mental health support for health workers across the globe. A new episode for #BBC's #AfricaDaily is focusing on ‘what can be done to improve the mental wellbeing of Africa’s health workers?’ In discussion with Mpho Lakaje, our colleague Dr Hamdi Issa discusses the campaign's call for action.  As part of the campaign, a personal story shared by Ramatou Irène NOMBRO, a Resident Psychiatric Doctor in Bamako, Mali shines light on the many challenges health workers face in the absence of positive working conditions. The podcast explains Africa CDC is training mental health leaders to help strengthen the mental health workforce, through the African Mental Health Leadership Programme funded by the Wellcome Trust. We are excited to see the programme produce a cohort of leaders advocating for evidenced based approaches to improving mental health support in Africa. 🎧 Listen to the podcast here: https://lnkd.in/dM8HuCwF BBC News #mpholakaje #bbcafrica.