Mental Health and Wellbeing for AllWorld Mental Health Day--10 October 2021
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Coming Soon:
Three Global Mental Health Events (5-12 October 2021)
"Global Mental Health (GMH) is an international, interdisciplinary, culturally-sensitive,
and multi-sectoral domain which promotes human well being,
the right to health, and equity in health for all."
GMH-Map website
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In this Update we turn our attention again to the crucial area of Global Mental Health, en route to World Mental Health Day (10 October). How can all of us, working within different countries, cultures, and sectors, further include mental health in our work? How can we promote and nurture mental good health and prevent and heal mental ill health in support of the overlapping goals for sustainable development?
Mental ill health is a massive, ubiquitous reality with an estimate of nearly 800 million people suffering from a major mental health condition (Our World in Data, Mental Health, updated August 2021). (note that other estimates put the figure closer to one billion) The recent materials that we present below explore the many GMH efforts, locally through globally, to scale up equitable mental health and wellbeing for all. Have a look and please do share with others!
Applications. We encourage you to choose a couple items below for further review. Consider a few specific applications for you and your settings. How can we learn from, connect with, and apply some of the resources and examples presented?
Keep in mind that GMH is not simply about developing more resources for treating possible biological and/or psychological conditions or illnesses. Rather it is also about prevention: bravely facing and working into the underlying negative influences on mental health, trauma, and wellbeing—nefarious life-destroyers like social determinants of health, commercial determinants of heath, poverty, trauma, adverse childhood experiences, corruption, etc.
Connect and contribute.
Get dirty. But don't play dirty.
Be the people we need, build the world we need.
Going further--see these resources:
--Mental Health for All–Me Too! (October 2019) GI Update
--Wellbeing for Who? Global Reports from Seven Sectors (February 2020) GI Update
--Reflections and Resources for Covid Care (current)
Warm greetings,
Kelly and Michèle
MCAresources@gmail.com
Featured Resources
Mental Health and Wellbeing for All
World Mental Health Day--10 October 2021
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“Too few people have access to quality mental health services. In low- and middle-income countries, more than 75 per cent of people with mental health conditions receive no treatment at all. And, overall, governments spend on average less than 2 per cent of their health budgets on mental health. This cannot go on. We can no longer ignore the need for a massive scale-up in investment in mental health. We must act together, now, to make quality mental health care available for all who need it to allow us to recover faster from the COVID-19 crisis.” Message for World Mental Health Day (10 October 2020) UN Secretary-General António Guterres
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Three GMH Events
What's Up this Month!
Global Mental Health: Three Strategic Events (5-12 October 2021). Seven power point slides from Kelly's presentation on 23 September 2021 at the meeting of the Psychology Coalition at the United Nations. What major events are happening in GMH and why are they important?
1. GMH Ministerial Summit, Paris (5-6 October 2021). Integrating mental health/health in/after the pandemic and innovative practices for mental health-human rights. Register to attend virtually here. (some of the sessions will hopefully be archived and available to watch).
2. World Mental Health Day (10 October) Themes: Mental Health in an Unequal World (WFMH) and Mental Health Care for All: Let's Make it a Reality (WHO). "The overall objective of World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health. The Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide." (quote from WHO)
3. WHO Mental Health Forum (11-12 October). By invitation and hoping that the main sessions will be archived and available as videos shortly.
Coming soon--save the date!
Addressing Mental Health in Global Contexts. 21 October 2021, 19:00—20:30 EDT Register here. Organized by Fordham University--Psi Chi and the Psychology Coalition at the United Nations. We will be some of the presenters, with our focus on Global Integration and GMH.
World Health Organization
Just released! Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2030 (updated 21 September 2021). "This updated [Plan] builds upon its predecessor and sets out clear actions for Member States, the WHO Secretariat and international, regional and national partners to promote mental health and well-being for all, to prevent mental health conditions for those at-risk and to achieve universal coverage for mental health services. While the updated action plan includes new and updated indicators and implementation options, the original four major objectives remain unchanged: more effective leadership and governance for mental health; the provision of comprehensive, integrated mental health and social care services in community-based settings; implementation of strategies for promotion and prevention; and strengthened information systems, evidence and research." (quote from website)
Also see:
--WHO's many mental health resources for the public.
--WHO Guidance and Technical Packages on community mental health services: Promoting Person-Centred and Rights-Based Approaches (May 2021). See also WHO's QualityRights Initiative.
--Coming soon: WHO Mental Health Atlas 2020. "The Mental Health Atlas series is considered the most comprehensive resource on global information on mental health and an important tool for developing and planning mental health services within countries and regions. [It] includes information and data on the progress towards the achievement of objectives and targets of the Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan [2013-2030]." (quote from WHO website about the Atlas 2017, adjusted for the upcoming Atlas)
Global Mental Health
Defining the Domain and Monitoring Progress
Logo for the GMH-Map website
Global Mental Health (GMH) is an international, interdisciplinary, culturally-sensitive, and multi-sectoral domain which promotes human well being, the right to health, and equity in health for all. It encourages healthy behaviours and lifestyles; is committed to preventing and treating mental, neurological, and substance use conditions (MNS) especially for vulnerable populations (e.g., in settings of poverty, conflict, calamity, and trauma) and in low- and middle-income countries; and seeks to improve policies and programs, professional practices and research, advocacy and awareness, and structural and systemic, social and environmental factors that affect health and well being.” (based on the original definition in Global Mental Health: Finding Your Niches and Networks, Psychology International, March 2012)
Note: Countdown Global Mental Health 2030 is just launched! “In 2018 The Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health and Sustainable Development was designed to catalyse worldwide action to make mental health care a greater priority worldwide. One of the core recommendations from the Commission was for a monitoring and accountability mechanism that uses a broad and integrated set of indicators to monitor progress for mental health. Countdown Global Mental Health 2030 will act as this, aiming to fulfil the vision of the first independent, multi-stakeholder monitoring and accountability collaboration for mental health. This free and accessible dashboard lets users search mental health data by country using a range of indicators, combined with an annual monitoring report on what the latest data shows, has been developed to inform action: action to campaign, to advocate, to communicate and to change policy and practice so that everyone everywhere is able to exercise their right to the highest attainable level of mental health.” (quote from United for GMH website)
Interested in Faith-Based Resources for GMH?
Mental Health and Trauma Resources
Materials from the Lausanne Movement
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--Rediscovering the WHOLE" in Holistic Mission, Lausanne Global Classroom (2021, videos). Eleven episodes from different mental health professionals. Most are around five minutes each. It is a go-to, free training tool to get a good overview on GMH and is relevance for the Christian church. Some episodes: Defining Mental Health and Trauma for the Church, Listening to Local Voices and Utilizing Indigenous Riches for Mental Health, Equipping Christians to Better Understand Mental Health Issues, and Mental Health and Ministry
--Building Hope and Resilience in the COVID-19 Storm: Lament, Communities of Care, and the New Normal (2020, article). Gladys Mwiti
--Turning the Church's Attention to Mental Health: Binding Up the Broken Hearted (2018, article). Gladys Mwiti and Bradford Smith.
--More Lausanne resources for mental health and trauma ministry HERE.
See also:
--Wellbeing for All: Global Mental Health and the Church-Mission Community. Kelly and Michele O'Donnell. Lausanne Movement’s Global Mental Health and Trauma Network (webinar 29 November 2018; watch the video-webinar HERE)
The Fellowship of Suffering: Insights for Trauma Healing (July 2021). Harriett Hill. International Bulletin of Mission Research. “In this article, Harriet Hill explores the church as a fellowship of suffering, drawing insights from her years of experience in trauma healing. She describes the first “Healing the Wounds of Trauma” workshop in 2002 with pastors from war zones across Africa. Then she explores factors that prevent churches from engaging in this fellowship of suffering, countered with reasons the church is ideally placed to be a fellowship of suffering.” (Abstract)
Final Thoughts
Mental Health and Wellbeing for All
Collaborating for Action and Equity
Image courtesy and ©2016 ENOD
"Since its inception, GMH has been characterized by collaboration and common cause. Practical, thoughtful work between diverse colleagues internationally and across sectors, locally and globally, governments and civil society, has driven a growing awareness, acceptance, and innovation in the field. However, increasing funding for mental health where it counts is still desperately needed (e.g., national health budgets, community programs) especially in low- and middle-income countries….
Positively, GMH has contributed to making the mental health and wellbeing of populations a primary global concern for the first time. It has brought together often divergent academic and practice traditions to offer the potential for evidence- and values-based action to impact on the quality of life of people around the world who were previously neglected. In particular there has been progress in the broader conceptualization of mental health and acknowledging its many determinants, the role of those with lived experience, and the development of psychological interventions that are culturally-sensitive and scalable, deliverable by supervised non-specialists.” (O'Donnell, Eaton, Lewis O'Donnell, 2021)
We recently attended virtually the 75 minute UN High Level Event on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). It was excellent--with both summary/overview comments and practical in-country examples.
We want to encourage you to watch the archive on UN Web TV here. There were about 10 speakers and it was moderated by Dr. Mike Wessells. The main focus was on providing MHPSS in conflict settings and integrating MHPSS and peacebuilding efforts.
The NEEM Foundation in Nigeria was one of the featured MHPSS programs/presentations and we want to recommend watching the new video about their work, 30 minutes --a vivid example of what MHPSS looks like, setting it up, measuring needs and impact, etc. Great for us all to get a glimpse beyond only reading the research/studies about mental health in Low- and Middle-Income Settings (LMICs) and in conflict settings: Counseling on Wheels.
Stay in touch with GMH via these three Networks below---tracking with the issues, developments, resources, colleagues, applications, research, etc.
--GMH Action Network
--Mental Health Innovation Network
--Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Network
Finally..."The GMH community must join others in the international, multi-sectoral community to advocate for solidarity in common efforts for sustainable development, locally and globally, to stir up and consolidate the best that we can be as individuals and institutions, including: greater empathy for others and mutual reliance on others; greater existential awareness of our finiteness and sense of meaning in life; and greater engagement with others for the common good and protection of the most vulnerable as well as the planet. Positively, the protracted COVID-19 pandemic provides plenty of opportunities for us all--personally, locally, and internationally--to reflect on the types of people we want to be and the types of societies we need to build. Many conversations have been started on the basis of the experience of the pandemic, which must now be operationalized into practical approaches to achieve the types of changes we have to make." (O'Donnell, Eaton, Lewis O'Donnell, 2021)
Kelly and Michèle
Quotes above from:
GMH: Collaborating for Sustainable Development and Wellbeing (April 2021). A revised version of this article will appear in the forthcoming volume (in press): E.P. Congress, H. Takooshian, & S. Osborn (Eds.), Behavioral Science in the Global Arena. Information Age Publishing.
