Many mental health services in high-, middle- and low-income countries around the world are failing people. Not only is access to services limited, but many people in distress and experiencing mental health crises are not receiving the support they need to feel better and move forward. Many people with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities are disempowered by mental health services and denied the right to decide over their own health and life choices. Some are further institutionalized and subject to coercive measures such as involuntary admission, forced treatment, seclusion, and restraints. These practices negatively impact people’s physical and mental health.

There is a different path that countries and services can take - no matter what part of the world.  This is the path towards rights-based services that respect people’s right to make decisions about their treatment and lives, that are free from coercive practices, that consider people in the context of their whole lives, that support people to be included in their community. These services also learn from and utilize the vast expertise of people with lived experience in order to provide responsive care and support.

Join us on 10 June at 15.00 CET for the launch of WHO’s new guidance on community mental health services: Promoting person-centred and rights-based approaches.  You will learn about innovative mental health services that are revolutionizing mental health practices and hear personal testimonies from people who use mental health services and service providers, as well as from national and international policy-makers who are calling for a sea-change in mental health. The event will include interpretation in Arabic, French and Spanish, and captioning will also be available.