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Toolkit for the Integration of Mental Health into General Healthcare

Advocate icon

Cross Cutting Component. Advocate, Coordinate & Network

Coordination, networking and advocacy take place at various levels (national, regional and community) and promote regular flows of information, help fill gaps, strengthen referral between service providers, support inclusion of national expertise and community voices, and raise awareness on mental health issues among key stakeholders such as governments.

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WHY is this component needed?

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When planning and implementing an integrated mental health program, it is important to communicate with national actors and other international agencies from the start, to make sure the program fits within the larger context and is well understood by different stakeholders. Coordination and networking are necessary to obtain relevant input from different stakeholders and keep them informed about the program. Advocacy activities can help promote the human rights of persons with mental disorders and reduce stigma and discrimination. Such activities also support equitable access to quality mental health services while ensuring that mental health is on the national agenda of governments and humanitarian actors including donors. Advocacy can ultimately lead to improvements in policy, resource allocation, legislation and service development.

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HOW is this component done?

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Coordination, networking and advocacy efforts are conducted with key stakeholders (e.g. local and international NGOs, national and local government, UN agencies, civil society organizations, program managers, mental health professionals, and PHC staff). This can include:

  • Regular coordination, discussions and collaboration with MoH and district level government agencies, and peripheral health facilities and with other relevant stakeholders at the community level.
  • Facility level and community-based awareness activities that tackle issues of stigma and provide information about mental health and accessing services.
  • Advocacy for allocating needed resources and efforts for integration of mental health within general health care.
  • Support to mental health service user and carer groups in leading advocacy efforts at various levels, including government, facility and community levels.
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MINIMUM elements of advocacy, coordination & networking

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  • Ensure to communicate about your MH PHC integration project as part of MHPSS coordination groups and other relevant clusters and working groups (e.g. Health Cluster, Protection Cluster).
  • Work in line with existing national mental health strategies, plans or policies1.
  • Identify pre-existing advocacy efforts led by group such as service users, or other relevant civil society organizations and link with any champions in the government who have an interest in supporting mental health.
  • Carry out and/or participate in mapping of other agencies and their activities, to facilitate the finding of opportunities for partnerships, and alignment of agendas (see step 1: Assess & Plan for MH Integration).

1 Access resources within Mental Health Plans & Polices subcategory below to understand and support national mental health plans and policies.

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COMPREHENSIVE additional elements of advocacy, coordination...

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  • Conduct information sessions about mental health PHC integration at MHPSS and non-MHPSS coordination groups (e.g. MHPSS, health, protection, wash, nutrition, etc.), describing cross sectoral importance.
  • Work with government representatives and others on developing and/or implementing national mental health policies and plans in line with global recommendations.
  • Promote the participation of persons with mental disorders in decision making processes on issues affecting them, including policy, law, and service reform.
  • Identify the key factors for maximizing mental health sustainability and scalability, including advocating for the expansion and improvement of universally accessible and affordable mental health services (e.g. including mental health as part of the basic service package for health, including mental health in public or private coverage and insurance benefits.
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KEY CONSIDERATIONS

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  • Do use locals with communications and media expertise in national advocacy efforts.
  • Do involve mental health service users to help promote their rights and receive valuable input to guide programs and activities.
  • Do support participation of various vulnerable groups identified in the community.
  • Do develop, adapt and disseminate targeted key messages for building awareness on mental health and mental health services within communities.
  • Do identify opportunities to advocate for staff & self-care, ethical considerations, and human rights.
  • Do take ethical and protection considerations into account when involving mental health service users and their families or specific groups in the community that may be vulnerable.
  • Do not conduct any MHPSS assessments, trainings or service provision without coordinating with local leadership, and other relevant sectors and agencies.
  • Do not plan or carry out MH advocacy activities and events without involving key stakeholders, including MH service users and their families.
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RESOURCES

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Category

  • Key Guidance Apply Key Guidance filter
  • Specific Tools & Materials Apply Specific Tools & Materials filter
  • Field Examples and Applications Apply Field Examples and Applications filter
  • Key Publications & Readings Apply Key Publications & Readings filter

Audience

  • Implementing agencies Apply Implementing agencies filter
  • Governments Apply Governments filter
  • Donors Apply Donors filter

Language

  • English Apply English filter
  • French Apply French filter
  • Arabic Apply Arabic filter
  • Spanish Apply Spanish filter
  • Other Apply Other filter
  • Toolkit Homepage
  • Step 1. Assess & Plan for Mental Health Integration.
  • Step 2. Build Capacity of General Healthcare Workers.
  • Step 3. Strengthen Mental Health Services & Systems.
  • Cross cutting component. Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning.
  • Cross cutting component. Advocate, Coordinate and Network.
  • Cross cutting component. Sustain Mental Health Services.
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  • MHIN & LSHTM (2015) Global Mental Health Communications Toolkit

    Category: Key Guidance, Advocacy, Networking & Communication

    Audience: Implementing agencies, Governments, Donors

    Use this toolkit to communicate program findings to stakeholders, including policy-makers, and develop messages about user’s project’s implementation and policy influence activities.

    • PDF icon Access here
    • PDF icon Access with guiding principles
  • WHO (2003) Advocacy for Mental Health

    Category: Key Guidance, Advocacy, Networking & Communication

    Audience: Implementing agencies, Governments, Donors

    Access this comprehensive module of the WHO Mental Health Policy and Service guidance package, which provides practical information to assist countries, especially ministries of health, to improve the mental health of their populations.

    • PDF icon Access here
    • PDF icon Access in Arabic
    • PDF icon Access in Chinese
    • PDF icon Access in French
    • PDF icon Access in Greek
    • PDF icon Access in Russian
    • PDF icon Access in Spanish
  • IASC (2009) MHPSS Advocacy Package

    Category: Key Guidance, Advocacy, Networking & Communication

    Audience: Implementing agencies, Governments, Donors

    Use this simple advocacy package as a guiding tool on the use and content of the IASC MHPSS guidelines in emergency settings, which include specific action sheets (6.1, 6.2, 6.4) on integration of mental health into primary health care.

    • PDF icon Access package here
    • PDF icon Access accompanying IASC Advocacy Paper
    • PDF icon Access in French
  • CBM (2013) The Self Advocacy Toolkit for Mental Health Service Users

    Category: Key Guidance, Advocacy, Networking & Communication

    Audience: Implementing agencies, Governments, Donors

    Use this toolkit for guiding advocacy efforts for people with mental disorders at local and national levels.

    • PDF icon Access here
  • MHIN (2015) Mental Health for Sustainable Development

    Category: Key Guidance, Advocacy, Networking & Communication

    Audience: Implementing agencies, Governments, Donors

    Use the health, human rights and social economic arguments described in this report to advocate for improving mental health as a vital component of global health and development.

    • PDF icon Access here
  • WHO (2013) Investing in Mental Health

    Category: Key Guidance, Advocacy, Networking & Communication

    Audience: Implementing agencies, Governments, Donors

    Read this report for arguments in support of renewed action and investment in mental health from a range of perspectives, including public health, economic welfare and social equity. This report can aid communication with national and international policy-makers, decision-makers and funding agencies.

    • PDF icon Access here
  • WHO (2018) mhGAP Operations Manual

    Category: Key Guidance, Advocacy, Networking & Communication

    Audience: Implementing agencies, Governments, Donors

    Use the mhGAP Operations Manual for practical, step-by-step guidance for integrating mental and physical health services, with relevant sections to advocacy & coordination [See page 12, section 1.4 and a specific case example on advocating for mental health budget allocation in Kenya]

    • PDF icon Access here
  • WHO (2009) Improving Health Systems and Services for Mental Health

    Category: Key Guidance, MH Plans & Policies

    Audience: Implementing agencies, Governments, Donors

    Use this resource for guidance on best practice processes for the development of a mental health policy and plan, including implementation issues that are essential to their effective realization.

    • PDF icon Access here
  • WHO MiNDbank

    Category: Key Guidance, MH Plans & Policies

    Audience: Implementing agencies, Governments, Donors

    Access this online platform that includes country and international resources covering mental health, substance abuse, disability, general health, human rights and development. MiNDbank aims to facilitate dialogue, advocacy and research, and to promote reform in line with international human rights and best practice standards.

    Access up to date page online here, and visit the MINDbank database, including key human rights resources.

  • WHO (2013) Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020

    Category: Key Guidance, MH Plans & Policies

    Audience: Implementing agencies, Governments, Donors

    Use this plan to discover clear actions for member states and proposed key indicators and targets that can be used to evaluate progress and impact. The MH Atlas supplement is a comprehensive source for global information on mental health against which progress towards objectives and goals of the MH Action Plan are measured.

    • PDF icon Access here
    • PDF icon Access in French
    • PDF icon Access in Italian
    • PDF icon Access in Japanese
    • PDF icon Access in Spanish
    • PDF icon Access supplementary Mental Health Atlas

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This Toolkit is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The content are the responsibility of International Medical Corps and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

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