The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued new guidance to help all countries reform and strengthen mental health policies and systems – most of which, worldwide, remain underfunded, with major gaps in access and quality.
In some countries, up to 90% of people with severe mental health conditions receive no care at all, while many existing services rely on outdated institutional models that fail to meet international human rights standards.
The guidance provides a framework to transform mental health services in line with the latest evidence and international human rights standards, the agency said.
Blueprint for transformation
While effective prevention and treatment interventions exist, most people with mental health conditions do not have access to these. The new guidance sets out concrete actions to help countries close these gaps and ensure mental health is promoted and protected, with a focus on:
- protecting and upholding human rights, ensuring mental health policies and services are aligned with international human rights standards;
- promoting holistic care with an emphasis on lifestyle and physical health, psychological, social, and economic interventions;
- addressing social and economic factors that shape and affect mental health including employment, housing and education;
- implementing prevention strategies and promote population-wide mental health and well-being; and
- ensuring people are empowered to participate in policy planning and design to ensure mental health policies and services are responsive to their needs.
It was developed in consultation with global experts, policymakers and individuals with lived experience, and builds on the resources, guidance and tools developed under the WHO QualityRights initiative, aiming to promote a person-centred, recovery-oriented and rights-based approach to mental health.
The WHO said it would support countries in implementing the guidance through technical assistance and capacity-building initiatives.
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