Since 1992, the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have marked October 10 as the annual date for World Mental Health Day. Observed in more than 100 countries around the world through local, regional, and national events, World Mental Health Day and this year's theme: "The Great Push: Investing in Mental Health" is intended to call attention to the need for greater investment in mental health services. This is especially true low and middle-income countries that spend less than 2 % of their total health budget on mental health. WFMH and WHO are dedicated to increasing public awareness of the extent to which mental illness remains underreported and undertreated compared to other diseases which receive greater attention.
The sheer range of need for treatment services is unquestionable. According to WHO statistics from 2002, more than 150 million people globally suffer from depression alone with other forms of mental disorder accounting for an additional 300 million (almost 25% of the world's current population). Despite this overwhelming need for services, many countries have less than one mental health professional per one million population. Even when health dollars are allocated, the focus is typically on large hospital settings rather than the community-based services that are likely to be most effective.
An initiative led by Dr. John Copeland and WFMH (titled The Great Push For Mental Health) is attempting to correct years of neglect, especially in developing nations where mental health services are often non-existent. With its themes of Unity, Human Rights, and Recovery, the WFMH initiative, partnered with the Movement for Global Mental Health, has already launched pilot projects in India, Australia, and Europe to provide appropriate and culturally appropriate treatment for various mental disorders.
Through grass-roots campaigns, fundraising initiatives, and public awareness programming, work with international aid organizations, and consultation with local community groups, the WFMH seeks to combat stigma and provide better mental health care worldwide. Following the Declaration of Human Rights and Mental Health, adopted in 1989 as the Declaration of Luxor, the WFMH stresses the need for governments to recognize their most vulnerable populations and to provide a safe environment where they can receive the necessary treatment as well as employing the full range of social support initiatives to prevent mental illness wherever possible.
The various possible initiatives, as recommended by the WHO include:
- early childhood interventions (e.g. home visits for pregnant women, pre-school psycho-social activities, combined nutritional and psycho-social help for disadvantaged populations);
- support to children (e.g. skills building programmes, child and youth development programmes);
- socio-economic empowerment of women (e.g. improving access to education and microcredit schemes);
- social support for elderly populations (e.g. befriending initiatives, community and day centres for the aged);
- programmes targeted at vulnerable groups, including minorities, indigenous people, migrants and people affected by conflicts and disasters (e.g. psycho-social interventions after disasters);
- mental health promotional activities in schools (e.g. programmes supporting ecological changes in schools and child-friendly schools);
- mental health interventions at work (e.g. stress prevention programmes);
- housing policies (e.g. housing improvement);
- violence prevention programmes (e.g. community policing initiatives); and
- community development programmes (e.g. 'Communities That Care' initiatives, integrated rural development).
Please join the WFHM initiative and help promote mental health issues in your community. To learn more about Mental Health Day, go to http://www.wfmh.org/00WorldMentalHealthDay.htm.
For more information and to support the WFMH.
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