Stacie June Shelton, MPH’s Post

NEW POLICY: USAID has long supported initiatives that increase access to mental health services. The Agency now elevates this commitment with the launch of a Mental Health Position Paper, USAID’s first policy document related to the integration of mental health into our programs. The Position Paper signals our strong commitment to addressing mental health in development programming, recognizing the central role that mental health plays in advancing the Agency's mission regarding inclusive international development. Positive mental health allows people to more readily cope with stressors and adapt to change. At scale, mental adaptiveness translates into stronger, more resilient communities. In this way, elevating mental health throughout USAID is another way of putting into practice our Agency's mission of advancing a free, peaceful, and prosperous world. Read the policy here: https://lnkd.in/gETTm_at #USAID #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth

🧠✨ USAID Mental Health Position Paper: Advancing Global Mental Health ✨🧠 We're excited to share the newly released USAID Mental Health Position Paper! This comprehensive document highlights the critical importance of mental health for emotional, cognitive, psychological, and social well-being. Key insights include: 🔹 Global Impact: Mental health significantly affects physical health, education outcomes, and workforce participation. 🔹 Rising Challenges: Factors such as poverty, conflict, and the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated mental health issues globally. 🔹 Strategic Approaches: USAID aims to integrate mental health considerations into its programs, promoting sustainable environments, culturally appropriate solutions, and ethical practices. Join us in prioritizing mental health and creating a future where support and services are accessible for all. Together, we can make a difference! 🌍❤️ Read the full position paper here: https://lnkd.in/g8VRYWrW #MentalHealth #GlobalHealth #USAID #WellBeing #HealthForAll

fascinating to learn of these resources. in poland today as US consults with Polish ministry of health and WHO about mental health in Poland and eastern Europe more generally-especially Ukraine and its millions of refugees and displaced people. i wonder how much usaid thinking reflects how mental health is being addressed in the US? looking forward to finding out!

USAID is releasing its first-ever mental health policy paper! This is a monumental moment for USAID and Global Mental Health. I have been honored to shepherd this position paper forward with a team of dedicated drafters and advocates for mental health at the Agency. Huge congratulations and shout out to the drafting team - it was such a pleasure to work with you all: Lyla Schwartz Kathleen O'Donnell Burrows Wendy Wheaton Abir Aldhalimi, Ph.D. Florence E. Fanelli, MBA Raguel F. Broy Billy Hall Saumaun Heiat patricia Hunter Ajit Joshi many others who supported the work in various ways, including early drafts. Special thanks to the team from USAID's Research and Technical Assistance Center (RTAC), including the University of Illinois team that worked with us on the consultations, evidence briefs and consultation reports. Tara Powell Benjamin Lough Tara Hill Tracy Jenkins Ashley Heiber @moses okumu Hannah S. Jaclyn Schess Dr. Gabriela Alcaraz Brooke Jardine. Huge thank you to everyone who shared their expertise and experiences in the consultations. Hearing your input was one of the best learning experiences of my life. For everyone else, you can learn from what amounted to a giant global co-creation about global mental health by reading the consultation reports which I will share in the comments. https://lnkd.in/e7UbpwBs #globalmentalheath #MentalHealth #MHPSS #USAID #MentalHealthMatters #SustainableDevelopment #InclusiveDevelopment #localization #populationmentalhealth #communityempowerment #socialjustice #Equity #GlobalDevelopment #internationaldevelopment #sustainabledevelopment #locallyleddevelopment #peacebuilding #humanitarianaid #humanrights #pyd #youthempowerment #disabilityinclusion #genderequality #positiveyouthdevelopment

On #WorldMentalHealthDay, we are reflecting on ECHO’s mental health programs in Latin America. With eight mental health programs running in the region, health care workers and specialists utilize the ECHO Model to develop mental health services in underserved communities. Together, workers and specialists are building a network of knowledge and collective support. Dr. Sandra Romano, ECHO program coordinator at The University of the Republic in Uruguay, shares, “Many smaller towns and villages lack mental health teams. ECHO helps build capacity so that primary care providers can offer mental health services to the population, in tandem with support from city or urban providers.” To learn more about ECHO mental health programs in Latin America, read our story here➡️: https://lnkd.in/gH69ZHX5

I just read an excellent paper sharing the perspectives of Muslims from minoritised ethnic communities on barriers to accessing mental health services. The perspectives shared by the consultees speak to the systemic failures to implement and sustain quality, comprehensive, meaningful, and culturally-responsive services for minoritised ethnic communities. As the authors write, solutions must include: 1. Trust building 2. Tailored model of care 3. Community mental health prevention initiatives 4. Culturally conscious training and education "...there is an urgent need to rethink processes involved in mental health needs assessment for people who are Muslims from minoritised ethnic communities. Also, there is an urgent need to reimagine mental health services' research capability building by placing more emphasis on collaborative advocacy and adopting place-based and integrative approaches." Find the article here: https://lnkd.in/g7XKSyhB

🌍 USAID Leading on Mental Health 🌍 https://lnkd.in/eudCw9Dx Congratulations to USAID's Mental Health team for this groundbreaking accomplishment! Special congratulations to Teresa Parr, Ph.D. who has been at the forefront of this effort. USAID has released the Agency's first mental health policy document, dedicated to integrating mental health into Agency programs. This Position Paper underscores USAID's commitment to advancing mental health globally and aligns with the Agency's long-term development goals, including advancing inclusive development. This is a pivotal moment for global mental health, and we are thrilled to be at the forefront of these transformative efforts. Nearly 200 participants, representing geographic, thematic, professional, and experiential diversity provided input. The Policy Paper is built on four guiding principles: 🌟 Promote sustainable enabling environments that support mental health. 🌟 Apply contextually-appropriate approaches developed in partnership with local communities. 🌟 Actively promote the use of ethics, human rights, and Do No Harm practices. 🌟 Address key barriers to effective programming, including mental health stigma and the need to diversify and strengthen partnerships.

The current ‘decolonisation of global health’ movement is driving a critical examination of the research and practice of global mental health. Despite efforts to promote equity, justice and health for all, colonial frameworks of global health are still embedded in existing ideologies and practices. In our upcoming #MHForAll webinar on Tuesday 26th March, 9AM GMT, we will be joined by expert panellists from India, South Africa, Denmark, Indonesia and more, to delve into this complex issue. The objectives of this webinar are: To offer practical perspectives, ranging from individual practices to institutional structures, on what the decolonisation of global mental health means at this point in time. To educate and enable a space for reflection that can inform what taking action may look like in such a big topic. Date: Tuesday 26th March Time: 9AM GMT | 10AM CET | 11AM CAT | 2:30PM IST https://lnkd.in/eqr2qYFA

VMIAC as a member of the National Mental Health Consumer Alliance is pleased to support the release of the ‘Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Enduring barriers to mental health care in regional and remote Australia’ report.   Recommendations include: place-based supports driven by and for community need; a broader range of options for support including non-clinical approaches, culturally appropriate service provision for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, elevating and supporting the peer workforce in regional areas, and addressing problems within current strategies that represent a top-down approach to mental health care without adequate consultation or co-design/co-production with people with lived experience of mental health challenges in those communities. https://bit.ly/49KsRPI #mentalhealth #ruralcommunities #ruralaustralia #regionalaustralia

I just read an excellent paper sharing the perspectives of Muslims from minoritised ethnic communities about barriers to accessing mental health support. The perspectives shared by the consultees speak to systemic failures to implement and sustain quality, comprehensive, meaningful, and culturally-responsive mental health services in minoritised ethnic communities. As the authors write, solutions must include: 1. Trust building 2. Tailored model of care 3. Community mental health prevention initiatives 4. Culturally conscious training and education "...there is an urgent need to rethink processes involved in mental health needs assessment for people who are Muslims from minoritised ethnic communities. Also, there is an urgent need to reimagine mental health services' research capability building by placing more emphasis on collaborative advocacy and adopting place-based and integrative approaches." If your work involves community engagement, I recommend reading this paper: https://lnkd.in/g7XKSyhB