Stories from the field: Providing mental health and psychosocial support during the COVID-19 pandemic

Stories from the field: Providing mental health and psychosocial support during the COVID-19 pandemic

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MHIN and the World Health Organization Department of Mental Health and Substance Use are collaborating to highlight the incredible efforts of individuals and organisations providing mental health and psychosocial support during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The stories below share innovation and best practice through personal narratives from health care workers around the world.

Mental Health and COVID-19

Resources by Population Group

Cross-cutting Resources

Webinar Series

Conversations with health care workers on innovations in remote support during COVID-19

Video interviews with health care workers on challenges, activities and recommendations in providing remote mental health support.
Conversations with health care workers on supporting staff mental health during COVID-19

Video interviews with health care workers on challenges, activities and recommendations in supporting staff mental health.
Conversations with health care workers on continuing mental health services during COVID-19

Video interviews with health care workers on challenges, activities and recommendations in continuing mental health services.
THRIVE Gulu: Mental health support for survivors of conflict in Northern Uganda during COVID-19

Mick Hirsch, Executive Director of THRIVE Gulu, an NGO providing mental health support to survivors of conflict in Uganda.
Adjusting to a new normal: Emergency department psychiatry in Australia during COVID-19

Dr Tanni Chowdhury, Emergency Department Psychiatrist at Joondalup Health Campus in Perth, Australia.
COVID-19 and family mental health: SPANS’ preparedness and response plan in Zimbabwe

Linos Muvhu, Secretary and Chief Talent Team Leader of the Society for Pre and Post Natal Services (SPANS) in Zimbabwe.
BasicNeeds Pakistan: Supporting mental health in under-resourced communities during COVID-19

Dr Fizza Yasmeen, CEO of BasicNeeds Pakistan, an NGO supporting mental health in under-resourced communities.
Staff support during COVID-19: MHPSS initiatives from Miri General Hospital, Malaysia

Dr Raja Lope Adam, psychiatrist and MHPSS Team Leader at Miri General Hospital in Malaysia.
Luchando contra el COVID-19: Supporting the mental health of Venezuelan migrants in Trinidad and Tobago

Dr Margaret Nakhid-Chatoor, Immediate Past President of the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Psychologists.
Technology as an ally and barrier: Remote mental health support for older adults in Ecuador and Spain during COVID-19

Andrea Alvarado, Clinical Psychologist from Ecuador specialising in working with the elderly.
Empowering parents during COVID-19: Remote support for children with severe and profound intellectual disability in Cape Town

Taryn du Toit, Occupational Therapist and the Innovation and Training Department Manager at Cape Mental Health in South Africa.
Carers Worldwide: Mental health support for carers in India, Nepal and Bangladesh during COVID-19

Victoria Nicholson, Fundraising and Communications Officer at Carers Worldwide, operating in India, Nepal and Bangladesh

Adv. Liron David, Director of International Relations at Enosh - the Israeli Mental Health Association.
MHPSS and COVID-19: Considerations for cross-sectoral coordination and integration from Italy

Dr Anita Marini, Executive Psychologist within the Italian Public Health System based in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.
Being home together: Helping families in Canada cope during the COVID-19 pandemic

Social workers Juliet Haynes and Krystal Jyl (KJ) Thomas - Community Mental Health Programme at The Royal in Ottawa, Canada.

Dr Rabih El Chammay, Head of the National Mental Health Program (NMHP) of the Ministry of Public Health in Lebanon.
Minds at Play: Mental health support for hard-to-reach children in India during COVID-19

Aakanksha Kapoor, Founding Director of Minds at Play, a school-based intervention supporting youth mental health in Delhi, India
Chronic illness and COVID-19: Psychological support for chronically ill patients in Biella, Italy

Dr Patrizia Tempia and staff, Psychology Service, Local Health Unit in Biella, northern Italy.
Community mental health: Experiences from Nairobi’s COVID-19 response

Habiba Amin, Mental Health Practitioner working in emergency COVID-19 response in Nairobi.
Inclusive messaging: Supporting refugee mental health in the United States during COVID-19

Dr Brandon L Gray, Intake & Capacity-Building Coordinator and Dr Saida M Abdi, clinician and Assistant Professor.
Making mental health essential: Madrid's emergency psychiatry response during COVID-19

Dr Jose-Luis Ayuso-Mateos, Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry of the Autonomous University of Madrid.
Reaching rural communities: Mental health initiatives in eastern Nepal during COVID-19

João Marçal-Grilo, Founding Director of Jaya Mental Health, an NGO training mental health workers in low-income countries.