Systems

We’re committed to a world where quality, comprehensive and person-centred mental health services are accessible for all. Today, over one billion people around the world are living with a mental disorder, but many of them have little or no access to services or support.

An illustration of a clinic in Ghana

Our vision is a world where:

  • Mental health service provision is integrated throughout public services
  • In emergencies, everyone has access to mental health and psychosocial support services
  • Every workplace promotes good physical and mental health for employees

To realise this we need:

  • Mental health services and basic medicines included in Universal Health; Coverage (UHC) reforms and financial protection schemes;
  • Mental health integrated into national development plans;
  • Mental health integrated into emergency response and recovery plans;
  • Mental health integrated into the strategies of key global institutions’ and international non-governmental organisations’ (INGOS’);
  • Mental health integrated in workplace employee support.

Our Focus

From 2021–2023 our focus is to achieve mental health as fully integrated in government and donor health plans. We are:

  • Ensuring that Covid-19 preparedness, response and recovery plans, and wider health reforms to achieve UHC, fully integrate mental health
  • Leveraging the power and influence of global institutions (including UN agencies), national governments, multilateral agencies (such as the World Bank Group), global networks of civil society organisations, professional groups, academics and businesses to generate political action and funding

Universal Health Coverage

Universal health coverage (UHC) is a simple concept, yet the coverage gap in care for common mental health conditions can be as high as 90% in some low income
countries.

Since the release of our reports and with help from working group members in the Global Mental Health Action Network working group, UHC is now being seriously explored at the highest levels of national and international government.

COVID-19 and mental health

Globally, mental health is being challenged like never before by COVID-19. The impact of the pandemic on mental health is complicated, diverse and wide ranging. From dealing with direct impacts; from loss of loved ones and after-effects of infection, to the aftermath of the physical, social and economic dislocation the world is only now beginning to contemplate.

We support the international community and our national partners to end the COVID-19 outbreak and build a stronger mental health system now, and for the future. Together, we raise the profile of mental health and call on world leaders, national and global funders to invest now, integrating mental health to ‘Build Back Better’.