WHO Launches New Global Mental Health Framework – What Does It Means For You?

Mental health is no longer a subject that is discreetly spoken of. Given today’s volatile world, it is a concern universal to everyone, from anxious school children to burned-out workaholics. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognized this widespread epidemic and launched a worldwide Global Mental Health Framework. That being said, this is a monumental, singular evolution of global mental health priorities, funding, and public health and care systems.

So, what will this new framework mean for individuals, families, and communities in the United States? Let’s first examine what the WHO’s new mental health framework involves and how it seeks to integrate mental health equity, then connect it to the Surgeon General’s Mental Health Framework in the United States.

What Is the WHO’s Global Mental Health Framework?

The Global Mental Health Framework launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) is a fully human-centered, multiyear plan that aims to create a transformational approach to global mental health care. The goal? To ensure that mental health services are equitable, inclusive and fair to all people, regardless of age, gender, race, or financial circumstances.

The framework is built on three pillars:

1. Universal access to mental health care: Having mental health care delivered as part of universal health coverage (UHC).
2. Community-centric support: Transition from institutional care to delivery of care in communities, by community members.
3. Equitable mental health framework: Focus on vulnerable populations to actively address inequities in access, and outcomes.

A core component of the World Health organization (WHO) strategy is not only treatment but also awareness, prevention, and longer-term systemic change requiring global collaboration and consolidated policy aimed at mental health as a public health issue.

The Global Mental Health Crisis: The Need for the Framework

Over the last 10 years, there has been a continued increase in mental health issues. The spotlight has turned to depression, anxiety, suicide, and stress-related disorders. These issues are now leading causes of global disability. According to WHO, one in eight people globally live with mental disorders. The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated issues. The COVID pandemic exposed serious shortfalls of mental health systems across the globe, including in the United States.

In the United States, mental health care has been systematically underfunded. It has been long highlighted by things such as staffing shortages. Access has been unequal across racial and socio-economic backgrounds. An overarching structural framework has not existed to enable full and fair access to mental health care. The Surgeon General’s 2022 Report on Mental Health pointed to a serious disconnect related to the WHO Mental Health system gaps, and urgently called for the way forth on urgent reforms without making it clear how major changes could be supported nationally.

The WHO’s launch of the global mental health framework is intended to support member countries with evidence-based systems to close these gaps, which is a structural approach at the national level. 

How the US Surgeon General’s mental health framework and the WHO framework complement each other

The mental health initiative of the Surgeon General in the US has several common objectives with the WHO initiative. Both of these initiatives call for a normalisation of mental health care as part of everyday thinking about life from schools, to our workplaces, to the primary health care we receive.

Here are some of the areas in which the two frameworks converge:

• Focus on Equity: Both frameworks recognize the importance of equity in mental health frameworks to help narrow the gap for equity-deserving populations (i.e., rural populations, minorities, LGBTQ+ populations).
• Community Engagement: In both frameworks, they emphasize the significance of community-based care and support networks for mental health.
• Early Intervention: Both frameworks intend to promote and deliver mental health programs for the mental health needs of children and adolescents.
• Workplace Mental Health: Both frameworks recognize the importance of the workplace as a setting for mental health awareness and interventions.

For Americans, this means that the US is not the only country making an effort in this regard. The US is joining the larger initiative globally to provide equitable and effective access to mental health care for all.

Significant Elements of the WHO’s Mental Health Framework

Here are some of the most notable aspects of the framework launched in the previous section:

1. Cultural Solutions: Urging countries to take up solutions that honour cultural standards and practices.
2. Task Shift Models: Training community health workers and others with no qualifications to deliver mental health support.
3. Digital Solutions: Promoting telehealth and apps to improve access to mental health services.
4. Policy In All Policies: Including mental health considerations in national policies on education, training, employment, and housing.
5. Data To Plan: Using data to monitor trends in mental health and improve service delivery.

These features demonstrate how mental health will not be a secondary consideration but solidly positioned at the centre of well-being.

The Importance of Equity in the Mental Health Framework

Equity within the mental health framework is not just a buzzword; it’s a matter of life and death. Marginalized populations encounter barriers to mental health care, ranging from stigma to lack of insurance, cultural differences, and discrimination. The WHO has put together an aim to eliminate these barriers.

For Instance:

• Indigenous not infrequently have high levels of depression and suicides with little access to appropriate care.
• Black and Hispanic people in the U.S. have lesser rates of treatment for mental health because of systemic issues.
• People with disabilities or chronic health conditions are at greater risk for mental health, but often these populations are overlooked and underserved.

Equity means to ensure that everyone has access to mental health support, and not just those who can afford it, or who live in a big city!

How This Impacts You in the U.S.

What does a global mental health framework mean for me as an individual? Here are some possibilities and ways the global focus on mental health may impact you personally:

1. More Comprehensive Local Mental Health Services: As the U.S. creates programs around mental health that closely resemble international standards, you may see more comprehensive mental health service provision at schools, hospitals, and community centers.
2. More Inclusion in Insurance: Under the influence of such a global health movement, with some encouragement from the WHO, we might see more mental health services covered by insurance plans.
3. More Awareness Campaigns: We may see more campaigns to reduce stigma and promote help-seeking among the general public.
4. More Initiatives by Employers: Employers may be incentivized to develop better policies for mental health, develop flexible schedules, and provide support.
5. Youth-based Interventions: Schools may develop new curricula and programs to develop coping skills, mindfulness, and emotional resilience.

The Role of Technology in Advancing the Framework

Digital solutions are a major part of the new mental health framework. Telehealth, AI-driven therapy apps, and online support groups are bridging the gap for people who cannot access therapy typically available in-person. In the U.S., platforms like Talkspace, BetterHelp, and Headspace have already experienced a notable uptick in interest and use. 

You will be seeing:

• Federal funding to support mental health tech innovations growing in size 
• Mental health tools integrated in to health insurance plans 
• Increased attention paid to accessibility of services to rural communities and underserved populations

Essentially, this technological shift is significant for equity in mental health framework – making the services more available, supportive and scalable

What Can You Do?

Understanding the framework is just the first step. Here are some actionable steps you can take:

1. Advocate: Start a conversation with your local representatives about adding mental health programs.
2. Educate Yourself and Others: Call out resources, attend workshops, support mental health awareness. 
3. Support Local Organizations: Volunteer or donate your time and resources with organizations working to increase the accessibility to mental health. 
4. Prioritize Your Own Mental Health: Use the services, consult a doctor and make sure you take very good care of yourself.

Conclusion: A New Era for Mental Health

The WHO Global Mental Health Framework is not just another international guidance, it’s a signal that the world is ready to take mental health and well-being seriously. With its emphasis on equity in the mental health framework, a direct link with the Surgeon General Mental Health Framework, and push for innovation and access, this could integrate positively into future improvements in how we address mental well-being in the world, especially for the U.S.

Before those supports are in place, if you or anyone you know is struggling, please seek help and support. The world is in a great place of developing a support system for mental well-being where it is no longer a privilege, but a right.